-^ I \ 






Latta's 




Seat Work 
Suggestions 



Publisfared by 

J. S. LATTA, Incorporated 
Cedar Falls, Iowa 



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Latta's 
Seatwork Suggestions 




^<CctfccL> ; ^ "^ 



Note: This book has been prepared" 
with the assistance of several of the best 
primary teachers and rural teachers that 
I could find. I am pleased with the con- 
tents and 1 believe that you will recog- 
nize that the book is well worth the 
price. 

If you have something good along this 
line I wish you would send it to me and 
if I can use it I will gladly pay you for it. 

Respectfully, 

J. S. Latta, 
Cedar Falls, Iowa. 



^^' 



Copyright 1920 by 

J. S. LATTA, INCORPORATED 

Cedar Falls, Iowa 



4 



^^y 



0)CI,A604710 
DEC 27 1920 



-VT/^ / 



Language and Reading 

Word Study 

1. Give pupils pictures or drawings of familiar objects, the 
names of which have been taught. Hand each beginner the 
letters on cardboard that are necessary to name the pictures; 
and give instructions to form the right word on each picture. 

2. Write all word's in the lesson that begin with capitals. 

3. Write a list of easy name words on the board such as 
ball, top, hat, fan, dog, etc., and ask pupils to draw or cut 
out illustrations on paper and write the name under each. 

4. Write a list of all words the children know, on a card- 
board and one inch apart and give each child a copy. Then 
hand each child the same words on small cards, showing print 
on one side and script on the other. Instruct the childreii to 
place the printed word beside the written word'. Now hand 
children printed letters of each word and instruct the children 
to form each word. 

5. Write a word upon the board and have all the new- 
words possible formed by changing the terminal letter as: 
him, hit, his, hid, etc. 

6. (a) Make hektograph copies of objects, writing the 
word under the corresponding objects as: ax — 

(b) Have the children cut the words from the pictures 
and match again the word to the corresponding pictures, lay- 
ing them on their desks. 

7. Give each child a word and' have the children draw 
a picture of the object with his crayon. If the word is an action 
word, let him draw a picture that will suggest it. 

8. Make a list of name words from reading lesson. 

9. Write a list of action words from lesson. 

10. Have pupils write all words in lesson containing one 
syllable. With two syllables. 

Print names of objects in the room; as piano, desk, 
window, bookcase, sandtable and many others. Pin or fasten the 
printed names to their respective objects. Children learn the 
words by observation. 

11. Place a list of five or ten words from the lesson upon 
the board. Pupils may hunt for the sentences in which one of 
the words is found and copy it until the list is completed. 

12. Write a list of blend letters on board, as bl, cl, tr, 
fr, R, and let children combine with phonograms to form words. 

13. Make a list of all the words in the lesson containing 
a given sound'. 



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Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



14. Write the words plainly on the board. The children 
may shape or write them with clay. Oft^n this clay may be 
obtained from a nearby stream. 

Drawing and Cutting in Language and Reading 

Write a list of easy name words upon the board such as 
hat, cat, leaf, box, etc. Instruct pupils to draw or cut the 
objects and then write a short sentence under the drawing or 
on the cut object. 

Distribute script and printed letters on tickets giving each 
pupil a double handful. Let pupils build words from board 
or^chart. 

Sketch upon the board a number of objects, as chair, 
bed, doll. etc. Have the pupils copy and write name of each 
object by the picture or write a sentence about each. 

Write the words of a sentence close together as if it were 
one word and ask pupils to separate into correct words. 

Alphabets and Figures 

Give child a sheet of paper containing large and small 
alphabets and figures. Write a list of easy words on board 

and have child 
cut out letters to 
form words. After 
they are pasted 
together then 
child 'may color 
the words. This 
is an excellent de- 
vice to remember 
' words. 





We sell the print and script, both large and small like 
above, to color and paste — enough for one pupil for several 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



days. Ask for alphabets and figures in outline to cut, color, 
and paste, one pupil 10c. 

Write the alphabet near the left side of a sheet of paper 
and ask each child to write as many words as he can be- 
ginning with each letter. 

Arrange the words of the reading lesson in alphabetical 
order. 

Word Drill 

As your work proceeds from time to time select words to 
be put on cards for flash cards and to be used for sentence 
building. Put these words on cards in both print and script, 
making the cards at least four by six inches. For seat work, 
these words may be colored by the pupils, and used for 
sentence building. 

Above cards may again be used in class for sentence 
building. Distribute cards among pupils and have the first 
word of a sentence called for and placed on blackboard mould- 
ing, after which different pupils complete the sentence with 
words which they have in their possession. 

We sell a set of flash cards printed in outline to cut and 
color. Words are large and roomy showing print with 
script below. Ask for flash words to cut and color for one 
pupil, 10c. 





ax 



cap 



We sell a set of such cards on cardboard having 96 pictures 
with name • in print and script below, also 150 extra words 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



to form sentences. Ask for Latta's Illustrated Word Cards, 
per set, 25c. 

Make cards, each one having on it a drawing or pasted 
picture of an object, the name of which is to be used in 
reading or language lessons. Put beneath each object its name. 
Make a second set of smaller cards with word only. Have 
the children match the words on the separate slips with the 
words beneath the objects. 

Make a set of slips containing a familiar sentence. Put 
sets in envelopes and hand one set to each pupil. Write the 
sentence on board and ask the pupils to arrange their words 
in the same order on their desks. 

Write words of lesson on pieces of cardboard and put in 
envelopes, or in boxes, being sure to have more than one 
of each. Have pupils build sentences and to ask for any addi- 
tional word they may need. 

We sell a set of words on cards. Ask for word cards to 
build sentences, enough for four pupils, 28c. 

Prepare a list of words giving the singular of objects. 
Let pupils copy and give the plural form also. 

Make a number of easy drawings such as cat, dog, boy, 
box, man, rat, cow, pig, horse, etc. Write name under each 
and have small children trace drawings and names through 
thin paper and then color the tracings. 

Sentence Building 

Teach children an easy sentence. Write it quite large with 
a pencil on a strip of bond paper, cut words apart and send 
children to their seats to prick the words with a pin so as to 
make a stencil. Then have children go to the blackboard 
and stamp the words so as to form the sentence. This out- 
line is then traced with crayon by children. It aids them in 
the correct formation of letters. 

We sell a set of 16 sentences in stencil form for black- 
board. Ask for 16 sentences in stencil for children to trace 
on board, price 16c. 

Supply each child with hektographed copies of short sent- 
ences. Have the children cut the words apart and then build 
up the sentences from a copy on the board. 

Finish sentences by adding picture or word: 

I can sing like a I can read a 

I can run like a I can smell a 

I can dive like a I can taste a 

I can fly like a I can touch a 



Write in sentences the name of each day of the week. 
Write in sentences the name of each month of the year. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



Write in sentences numbers in words up to ten. 
Fill in blanks: 



My father has a Fred has a 

My mother has a Tom has a 

My brother has a Mary has a 

My sister has a James has a 

My uncle has a Willie has a ■■ 

Hektograph little stories that have been composed by 
children. Have children cut words apart and match them on 
their desks from a copy on the board. Give child an envelope 
in which to keep his story. 

(a) Write on slips of durable paper, very simple sentences, . 
as, May had a new doll. Cut words apart and' put in an 
envelope. Give to each child. Envelopes are to be opened and 
the words arranged to form the sentences which you have 
correctly written on the board. 

Write a sentence upon the board, as, "I can sing," and 
have pupils copy and write ten others telling what else they 
can do. , , 

Place upon the board sentences with one or more words 
omitted. These to be copied by pupils and blanks filled with 
pictures of objects instead of words. 

Ask pupils of more advanced grades to prepare some of 
the seatwork for the lower grades. They will gladly do work 
such as above. , , 

Select an expression as "I see" and place it upon the 
board. Give one to each pupil. The very smallest pupils may 
write the word a number of times; the older pupils write 
as many sentences as they can, using the word in each. , 

Vary this exercise by allowing pupils to write question 
containing the words. , 

(a) After children have learned to read a few short sen- 
tences, give each a box or envelope containing words written 
or printed on slips of stiff paper. Write short sentences on the 
board and' let them build sentences using the words contained 
in the envelope. 

We sell a set of words to cut and paste for seatwork. Ask 
for words to cut and paste, for four pupils, print 16c. Or words 
to cut and paste for four pupils, script 16c. 

(b) After the children can write, sentences may be placed 
upon the board which contain the singular form of the word and 
class may copy, changing to the plural, as: I see one boy, 
I see two boys. 

Arrange these words in order to make good sentences: 

1. pencil is on His floor the. 

2. are boys The marbles playing. 



8 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

3. rope lost Mary her skipping. 

4. a sharp point pencil has ,My. 
Write in complete sentences: 

For example: Bluebells are blue. 

Name some fruits that are yellow. 
Name some fruits that are green. 
Name some fruits that you can that are red. 
What bible story do you like best? 
Name some flowers that are blue. 
Name some flowers that are white. 
Name vegetables that are green, red, white. 
Write a list of words selected from reading lesson, and 
have children write sentences using the words correctly. 

Children may read sentences when they come to recitation. 

Give child small cards, containing drawings such as hat, 

cap, boy, dog, man, girl, baby, cow, pail, box, ball, etc. Write 

name under drawing and let children use these with word 

cards in constructing sentences. 

Have pupils write answers, using complete sentences. 
What do cats like to eat? What do children like to eat? 

What do dogs like to eat? What do bees like to eat? 

What do fishes like to eat? What do owls like to eat? 
What do hor.ses like to eat? What do sparrows like to eat? 

Have pupils fill blanks: 

1. A basket of are 

2. A basket of are , 

3. A basket of ., are 

1. A glass of ^ is 

2. A glass of is 

3. A glass of is 



Illustrated Story Work 

Pupils should be encouraged to illustrate the best stories 
studied in the lower grades. This can be done very nicely in 
many ways. Use free hand cutting, free hand drawing, sand 
table work, clay modeling and afiy other work that compels 
the pupil to use his constructive imasrination. Such stories as 
Gingerbread Boy, Chicken Little, Three Bears, Pied Piper. 
The Goat in The Turnip Patch, The Little Red Hen. and others 
should* be illustrated by pupils in some way. 

Children enjoy demonstrating stories on the sand table. 
It is often necessary, however, to work out these stories on 
the sand table in sections of the story. This sometimes simpli- 
fies it so that small children can do good work in the sand. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



Have the children illustrate such stories as "The Three 
Pigs" and "The Three Bears" with colored crayons. Let them 
use their originality, no matter how crude the picture may be. 
Same stories may be illustrated by paper cutting or clay 
modeling. 

After a story has been studied in class for enjoyment, 
as all literary selections should be, ask the children to repro- 
duce orally the part that appealed to them; then let them il- 
lustrate that part in crayon or by cutting. Show work to 
other children. 

Have the children prepare a theatre by decorating a box of 
the proper size. Cut slits in the sides of the box. Prepare cut- 
tings of stories; as, Red Riding Hood, The Three Bears, or any 
others. Slip the cutting through the sides of the box and let 
the children play they are conducting a movie. This plan 
helps greatly with story telling. 

Phonics 

To familiarize children with long and short sounds of 
the vowels in words, make a set of cards, half of them with 
words containing short sounds, and the other half words 
containing more than one vowel, thus showing that the pres- 
ence of a second vowel in a one-syllable word changes the 
sound from short to long, as cap, cape, met, meat. 

Give child clipping containing large type. Have him 
place a circle around any letters, phonograms or words found 
in the reading work with which he is familiar. 

Pupils may write upon paper all words in the reading les- 
son containing the letter c. Those words in which c has the 
sound of k are to be put in one column and" those having the 
natural sound of c in another. 

To teach the initial consonant sounds, hektograph objects 
which suggest the phonogram. Write the consonant in 
script and print below the pictures. Have the children cut out 
the letters and match with the pictures. 

Oat; en; ank; ame; ack; ill; und; est; et; in; 
ate; are; ink; ake; it; ock; eat; own; um; ew; ag; 
ick; ug; at; ook; end; ent; ip; ung; an; op; ed; ight; 
ove; all; ot; ut; aw; ash; ow; out: ail; ay: ap: eed; od; 
ing; ave; ell; ad; ear; am; ig; ump; ab; un. 

We sell a set of 56 Phonic Drill Cards with large print 
for flash cards. Price postpaid, 35c. We copy same as above 
for you to use for seatwork. 

Let children take their readers, and from the lesson write 
all the words containing the letter s. Place those in which s 
has the sound of z in one column and those having the natural 
sound in another colum.n. 

Place the phonogram "ack" upon the board and ask the 
pupils to write ten or more words in which it is contained. 



10 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Let the pupils choose phonograms they like and build 
words. 

Use phonograms which sound alike as "eet" and "eat" then 
make words from them. We sell a set of Phonic flash cards 
for 35c The set contains fifty-six words as follows: 

Place the following and similar combi- 
nations on the board: pr, fl, bl, st; also at, 
ook, it, ing. Have pupils make word 
lists. 

Ask pupils to take any family familiar 
to them as ite, at, etc., and make a train, 
climb a tree haying a number of 
branches or cross a stream, etc., to 
arouse interest. Use the phonogram or 
family you are anxious to use in your 
daily lessons either in reading or spell- 
ing. 

Place list of words on board contain- 
ing all combinations and phonograms 
studied and have pupils separate words 
into phonograms and letters or combina- 
tions as shook — sh ook. 

Make two sets of cards, one having 
phonograms or family names as at, ate, 
etc., then combinations as bl, sh, fl, on 
the others. Give pupil a set of each to 
make all the words he can, writing the 
word on his paper, after which the two 
cards may be used for other words. 



First Grade Number Work 



Give each child a sheet of colored 
paper and a one-inch circle in cardboard. 
Trace and cut out several circles. The 
teacher may use these in making flash 
cards. Another plan is to cut a stencil 
and use colored crayons or brush and 
oil paints to make flash cards. Small 
rubber stamps are also quite popular. 

The above illustration represents one of our Latta's Flash 
Number Cards showing all the combinations up to 13. There 
are seventy-eight combinations. The Set postpaid for 25g. ' 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 11 

Here you have the combinations in addition that are pos- 
sible with the first nine digits. This exercise requires very 
little ettort on the part of the teacher, yet it is one of the 
best devices known tor teaching addition v^hen children know 
the figures. Write this exercise on the board and explain it to 
the children; then erase all but the first combination of each 
line, and require the pupils to complete the work, using pencil, 
pegs or sticks. Have pupils make tables of combinations 
worked out and keep them for memorizing. Good for first 
and second grades. 

14-1=2. 

2+1 = 1+2 or 3. ' - 

3+1=1+3 or 2+2 or 4. 

4+1 = 1+4 or 3+2 or 2+3 or 5. 

5+1 = 1+5 or 4+2 or 2+4 /or. 3+3 or 6. 

6+1 = 1+6 or 5+2 or 2+5 or 4+3 or 3+4 or 7. 

7+1 = 1+7 or 6+2 or 2+6 or 5+3 or 3+5 or 4+4 or 8. 

8+1=1+8 or 7+2 or 2+7 or 6+3 or 3+6 or 5+4 or 4+5 
or 9. 

9+1 = 1+9 or 8+2 or 2+8 or T^Z or 2^7 or 6+4 or 4+6 
or 5+5 or 10. 

(a) Sticks of various lengths, toothpicks, pegs, large, seeds, 
beans, corn, etc., can be used with good results in first grade 
number work. 

('b) Assort as to color or size and count each. 

(c) Lay in twos, threes, fours, etc. 

(d) Let pupils complete many like these: 
With pegs — 

(Stick building in concepts) 
Lay four yellow circles. Lay six orange squares. 

Lay three blue circles. Lay three blue squares. 

Lay two green circles. Lay two yellow circles. 

Lay one blue square. Lay four red triangles. 

Lay three red squares. Lay five green rectangles. 

Write each new word in your reading lesson as many times 
as there are letters in it. 

Make picture groups to represent numbers, using stars, 
apples, fishes, dots, crosses, etc., and have pupils copy and 
devise new pictures for such numbers. 

Write each new word as many times as it occurs in the 
lesson. 

Write a list of words on the board and have children ar- 
range according to the number of letters in each. 

Place upon the board such statements as, "there are 

as in the lessons, or on page -there are words 



12 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

in the lesson. There are sentences in the lesson." Pupils 

copy and fill out blanks, after reading the lesson. 

Dominoes may be used with good results. Pupils get good 
number concepts from these and tables may be readily made 
from them. 

Place combinations of figures upon the board, as 7—2t^==^'i 
and' direct pupils to write stories about them; e. sr. : Mr. Brown 
had 7 horses and he sold three so that he now has only 4 horses. 

We sell 1,000 gummed one-inch paper circles, assorted 
colors, for 35c. They are used to teach colors, and to make 
flash cards, domino cards, etc. 



First Grade Construction, Drawing, Etc. 

Draw upon the board simple designs, as circles, squares, 
angles, triangles, etc., and let pupils copy them with corn, 
split peas, shoe pegs, toothpicks, splints or colored sticks in 
different lengths. Large letters and figures placed upon the 
board will furnish material for several days in drawing, 
stick laying, sewing and cutting. Be sure that pupil has a 
knowledge of the character with which he is working. 

We sell a set of large alphabets and figures 4 inches high, 
printed on tough paper to trace for such as above, price 10c, 

Have pupils copy the national flag on paper with colored 
crayons. Penny flags may be given pupils for a copy, or one 
pinned upon the wall. 

Small inch squares, round colored pieces of paper or bits 
of cloth may be strung alternately, with straws one inch in 
length. There is a good opportunity in this work to teach 
colors. To avoid cracking and splitting, pour boiling water 
over the straws; when the water is cool roll the straws loosely 
in a towel and cut in the desired lengths. 

We sell a gross of Hailman's large wooden beads in as- 
sorted colors and assorted forms, postpaid 58c. 

Let children make a picture clock, with the real clock be- 
fore them for a copy. Let the figures or (Roman) numerals 
be properly arranged upon the face. 

We sell an eight-inch dial with metal hands, postpaid 25c. 

Have pupils draw or cut objects spoken of in the reading 
or language lesson, or else copy the pictures in reader, and 
color them with colored pencils or crayons. 

Keep a quantity of drawing paper or stout manila paper 
on hand. Draw a simple outline on the board. Provide each 
child with a pencil and a sheet of paper, then let him copy the 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 13 

picture. After the child has drawn his picture he may be shown 
how to cut it out. Each child should have a box in which 
to keep his own work. 

Give small pupils leaves showing veins and stems to out- 
line upon paper. Place them in different positions, making and 
drawing clusters, wreaths and bouquets. If traced upon paper 
allow pupils to color them with water color or pencils. 

(a) Cut up pretty advertisements, cards and pictures from 
catalogues, magazines and newspapers after mounting them on 
cardboard". Put them in envelopes for pupils to put together. 

Cut pages from old readers, take a short lesson or a long 
paragraph and cut into slips containing one line or sentence. 
Place these in an envelope together with an uncut story. Give 
an envelope to each child, at the close of a recitation, and 
tell him to arrange the slips so as to make a complete story 
or paragraph, like that enclosed with the bits. Stories pre- 
pared with hektograph or typewriter may be used in same way. 

On slips of paper, write the names of objects, give four or 
five of these to each pupil, asking him to draw pictures of the 
objects which his slips indicate. 

(a) Lead pencil stencils will furnish pleasant work for 
little children for a long time. Let the pictures first be traced 
through the card's. Teacher or older pupils can make such 
stencils from tough paper. 

(b) When the children are able to do the work well, have 
the pictures put on paper, and allow the older primary classes 
to color them with crayons or colored pencils. These make 
really pretty pictures when neatly done, especially the fruit 
and flower pieces. Pupils like to take specimens home or 
have them pinned up in the school room. 

Bead Work 

Get a number of boxes of Hailman's beads, which consist 
of cubes, balls and cylinders, and arrange them or string them 
according to shape or color. A half dozen boxes will be suffi- 
cient for a class of twelve. It is not always possible for country 
teachers to buy these supplies, and a box of brightly colored 
beads and buttons contributed by the different pupils will give 
the very small pupils employment. Have also a number of 
needles threaded with stout thread. 

Use these beads in number work by grouping colors to- 
gether and counting. Make combinations as 4 red beads and 
3 green beads are 7 beads. 

An exercise which is two-fold; namely, to teach the num- 
bers and the colors. 

Supnlv the children with beads and a needle with stout 
string. Write directions on the board; as, string 2 blue cubes, 



14 Latta's S uggestions for Seat Work 

4 red balls, 6 green cylinders, 3 purple balls, 1 yellow cube and 
2 orange balls. Check work with the pupils. 

Building Blocks 

Children like to build houses, bridges, fences, etc. A good 
way is to buy a few long pieces of finished lumber of different 
widths and then saw carefully into short pieces. This will cost 
much less than to buy the factory made sets. 



Second Grade Language and Reading 

Name seven colors; tell which one you like best. 
Write sentences as follows to be answered in connection 
with reading lessons: 

Where did Jack and Jill go? 
For what did they go? 
What did they carry with them? 
What happened to them? 
Draw a picture of them. 
Fill in blanks — 

On a wet day I like an 

On a hot day I like an 

On a cold day I like a 

On a windy day I like a 

On a fine day I like a 

Finish — 

I wear a on my head. I slide on my 

I wear a on my finger. I ring a 

I wear a on my foot. I climb a 

I wear a around my waist. I pick an 

I wear a on my hand. I turn a 

I wear a on my neck. I blow a 

Tell children a story and let them draw with crayons a 
picture they see in it. 

Fill in spaces — get language cards for these: 

Oats are used to make As hard as 

Wheat is used to make As soft as 

Wood is used to make As white as 

Iron is used to make As cool as 

Silver is used to make As black as 

Tin is used to make As round as 

Make sentences leaving blanks for everything you can that 
goes in pairs, as shoes, gloves, etc., and direct children to fill 
blanks. 

Write sentences naming the three meals we cat every day 
and name everything that you think would be nice for each meal. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 15 



Draw an envelope on board. Have pupils copy and ad- 
dress it. 

Write sentences telling some games you like to play in 
the house in winter. Illustrate one game by drawing. 

Write sentences telling some games you play out of doors 
in summer. Illustrate by drawing or paper cutting the game 
you like best. 

Answer in complete sentences — 

Who met Red Riding Hood in the woods? 
Where was Red Riding Hood going? 
What was she taking in her basket? 
Why was she called Red Riding Hood? 

Carefully draw an envelope and write your address, your 
brothers' address, your sisters', mother's, father's. 

Give out small slips of paper during the study period. Have 
children write their name at the top of the slip. Every word 
in the reading lesson which the child' does not know must be 
written on this slip. The teacher uses these words for word 
drill. 

Most letter writing should be copied work, but if the chil- 
dren become thoroughly acquainted with the correct form and 
placing, then short, original letters may be attempted. 

Copying 

There should always be on the front board, a short story, 
letter or verse which can be copied daily. The story or letter 
may be constructed by the teacher, or better, it may be one 
told by a child. If placed in a space provided for it, just 
after being told, interest is stimulated and attention fixed on 
important points such as indentation, capitals and punctuation. 
The name of the school and grade of the child should be part 
of the copy work. 

M^ke two or three pictures which you find in your lesson. 
Write the sentence or paragraph you are illustrating. 

My name is 

I live in 

I am years old. 

My teacher's name is 

I am in grade 

I can 

I like to 

Write a statement telling something about 
coal snow apples babies 

trees sugar rain moon 

Make a list of all the animals that run. 

Write names of animals that jump. 

What animals swim? 



16 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Write names of fruits. 

Write names of flowers. 

Write names of grain. 

Write 5 names for dogs. 

Write 5 things found in a grocery store. 

Write names of 5 birds. 

Name all the boys you can. 

Name all the girls you can. 

Illustrated Verses 

The following verses contain a wealth of material for 
seat work and the children will not tire of this work because 
the subjects appeal to them and are within their power to un- 
derstand and appreciate. 

These verses might be copied first, then illustrated and 
made into booklets. They might be illustrated by paper cut- 
ting, water color, crayon or clay. 

I wash Dolly's clothes on Monday, 
I wash them white as snow, 
I rinse them in clear water, 
Then on the line they go. 

I sprinkle Dolly's clothes on Monday, 
And lay the clothes away 
And then I always iron them 
When I have time next day. 

I mix Dolly's cake on Thursday 
I set it in the sun 
Then we make believe we eat it 
As soon as we think 'tis done. 

I take Dolly to ride on Saturday 
For then we go to call; 
We call on Arabella 
And Arabella's doll. 

God makes the lovely flowers and birds, 
The diamonds and the pearls 
But the sweetest things he made 
Are little boys and girls. 

When John and Mary come to play 
We blow soap bubbles most all day. 

Jack be Nimble 
Jack be quick 
Jack jump over 
The candlestick. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 17 

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, etc. 

Little Boy Blue 

Sing a Song of Sixpence. 

The fire turns brightly, 
The tea kettle sings. 
The table is laden 
With all the tea things. 

I like to see a baking dish, 
Eggs, flour and sugar too, 
I know without telling 
What mother's going to do. 

I went walking where the daisies be, 
They nodded and they smiled at me. 

Making house booklets is interesting and educational seat 
work. The following verses may be used to illustrate. 

Far in the land of ice and snow 

In a house like this lives the Eskimo. 

In our land in an earlier day. 

The first homes were made the Indian way. 

In a home like this 
The little chicks bide 
At night beneath wings 
Spread far and wide. 

When you make a place 

For a dog to rest, 

A house like this is the very best. 

In a larger house built much the same way. 

The boys and girls with their parents stay. 



Word Building 

From the word "Newspaper," see how many small words 
you can build. 

Write sentences using the names of creatures that fly, 
run, jump, swim or creep. 

Write sentences using the names of animals that growl 
purr, cackle, sing, laugh, neigh, bark, etc. 

Write sentences about ten things you can eat, or like to 
eat. Ten things you see in the school room. Ten' things you 
remember at home. 



18 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Have pupils write sentences about things they see or think 
of that are round like a ball. 

Place a word upon the board and have pupils prehx cer- 
tain letters to form new words, as: old — cold, told, hold, etc. 

Give a syllable as: er, re, at, ed, ab, de, ly, ing, tion, etc. 
Let pupils see who can write the most words containing it. 

Copy from the reading lesson all the words that contain 
silent letters. 

(a) Procure old readers adapted to your grade, cut stories 
into words or sentences and put in an envelope or a box, give 
one to each pupil. 

(b) Find and write all the sentences from the lesson that 
ask questions. 

(c) Write sentences expressing surprise. 

(d) Write sentences that tell something. Sentences that 
express commands. 

(a) Give a list of shortened or contracted words, as, can't, 
shouldn't, etc., and have pupils write the complete form. 

(b) Place the complete form upon the board, and have 
pupils write the contraction of the word's. 

Place sentences from the lesson upon the board and omit 
one or more words. Pupils may copy and substitute words 
which mean the same as those given in the book, as: Tom 
has a small spade; Tom has a little spade. 

Place names of the days of the week upon the board. 
Pupils may place these in statements, as: "Monday is the sec- 
ond day of the week," etc. 

Place a list of words upon the board. Pupils copy and 
give a word opposite that means the opposite to the word 
given, as up, down, etc. 

Write all words in the reading lesson that mean more 
than one. 

Second Grade Number Work 



How many pages in your reader? How many lessons in 
your reader? 

Make circles of stiff paper showing the relative sizes of 
coins and mark their value. 

Write all the numbers that end in "0" up to 100. Write 
the numbers ending in "2" as far as the fifties. Supplementary 
problems furnish good work. 

With toy money answer in complete sentences — 
How many cents in a dollar? 
How many 5 cents in a dollar? 
How many 10 cents in a dollar? 
How many 25 cents in a dollar? 
How manv 50 cents in a dollar? 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 19 

Write many sentences like these. Have children copy them 
and supply the missing numbers. 

Y2 oi A dogs is dogs. 

Ys of 16 hats is hats. 

>4 of 8 apples is apples. 

This game may be played at a table as seat work. 
Factors of numbers; as, 4,6 should be printed on cards 

5'4 
and passed around the class. Another set which has the prod- 
ucts; as, 20 ; 24, is laid out on the table, one at a time and 
whoever has the factors to the product, plays. The pupil get- 
ting rid of his cards first wins. 

Write 3's to 60; 4's to 32; 5's to 100; 6's to 42. 
Teach 16 oz. make one pound (lb.) 
y2 of 16 oz. oz. 

% of 16 oz. oz. 

Let children copy and complete — 
If one book costs 5 cents then 2 books will cost 2 times 5 

or cents. 

Write several such problems on board thus: If one pencil 

costs 5 cents then 

Write exercises such as the following on the board for 
pupils to complete. Vary the exercises. 

2X?=4 4X?=12 4X?=:16 

3X?=9 2X?=12 5X?=20 

5X?=10 3X?=12 6X?=24 

Teach Time Measure and write exercises as follows: 

1 week has days. 

1 month has weeks. 

1 year has months. 

Write a list of figures on the board and let the children 
place corresponding Roman numerals opposite. 

Develop table of Long Measure — inch, foot, yard. Give 
practical problems for drill. For seat work give child a ruler 
and let him measure his desk, book, tablet, pencil, pencil box, 
etc., and write statements such as this: My pencil is six inches 
long. Cut an apple or cube or any object in parts and let the 
pupils write the values; as, two halves make a whole, or three 
thirds make a whole of these fractional parts combined. 
Let pupils copy the Roman notation to fifty. 
This exercise is superior, in some respects, to the usual 
multiplication table. Notice the responsibilitv that it imposes 
on the pupil who must find the different combinations. Copy 
the entire exercise on the board and' call the pupil's attention 
to the many combinations. Then erase all except the first num- 
ber in each line. Have pupil work out all the combinations on 
paper, usirjg 2, then 3, 4, 5, etc. and memorize. 



20 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

1X2=2X1 or 2. 

2X2=4. 

3X2=2X3 or 6. 

4X2=2X4 or 8. 

5X2=2X5 or 10. 

6X2=2X6 or 3X4 or 4x3 or 12. 

7X2=2X7 or 14. 

8X2=2X8 or 4X4 or 16. 

9X2=2X9 or 3x6 or 6X3 or 18. 
10X2=2X10 or 4X5 or 5X4 or 20. 
11X2=2X11 or 22. 

12X2=2X12 or 3x8 or 8X3 or 6X4 or 4X6 or 24. 
13X2=2X13 or 26. 
14X2=2X14 or 7X4 or 4X7 or 28. 
15X2=2X15 or 3X10 or 10X3 or 5X6 or 6X5 or 30. 
16X2=2X16 or 4X8 or 8X4 or 32. 

Have pupils cut out figures, small patterns of cats, apples, 
leaves, rats, etc., and paste them in suitable groups for combi- 
nation cards to be worked out and memorize. For example: 

9+3 

These sets make nice booklets. They teach numbers, and 
give training in free hand cutting. Let the children work out 
their number tables and" combinations and keep them in num- 
ber booklets. 

Cut an easy pattern in art stencil board, such as hat, 
boot, star, heart. Then write the forty-five combinations on 
the board and give stencil to the child with instructions to 
illustrate any combination he can by groups. Let the child 
place each illustration on a sheet of paper 6x9. Child will 
see "2-f-3=:5" on the board and will fix group showing two 
hearts -\- three hearts = five hearts for seat work. 

(1) Answer questions in full sentences — 
What is the mark for dollars? 
What is the mark for cents? 

(Make out a little bill for groceries. Do not spend more 
than 50c. 

(2) Place Roman numerals on the board not in order. In- 
struct pupils to write them in order on paper with Arabic fig- 
ures and also write the words ooDosite each other. 

Write many examples in multiplication and division, and 
have children reverse the ooeration as follows: 

3X7=21 21^3=7 1/3 of 21=7 

7X3=21 21^7=3 1/7 of 21=3 

Write many figures on the board and let children use each 
of the four signs with them. 

6 2 6+2=8 6-2=4 

10 5 10+5=15 10-5=5 

12 3 12+3=15 12-3.=9 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 21 

6X2=12 6-^2==3 

10X5i=50 10-^5=r2 

12X3=r36 12-^3=:4 

Count by 3's to 42; by 4's to 40; by 6's to 42; by 7's to 42; 
by 8's to 40; by 9's to 36. 

Write a list of numbers on board and have children 
multiply each by any number he wishes. 

4X3=12 7X2=14 

5 6 

Fill blanks — 

8 boys have eyes. 6 boys have hands. 

9 girls have feet. 7 owls have tails 

4 men have ears. 5 cows have ears. 

Copy and complete these sentences — 

There are eggs in 1 dozen. 

There are inches in 1 foot. 

There are eggs in V/2 dozen. 

There are inches in V/z feet. 

There are feet in 1 yard. 

There are feet in 7 yards. 

There are times 3 girls in 12 girls. 

There are times 4 apples in 8 apples. 

There are times 9 trees in 27 trees. 

There are times 12 books in 36 books. 

1-2 of 12 eggs is eggs. 

1-3 of 12 cents is cents. 

1-4 of 16 books is books. 



UUR.S IS 

is 1-3 of 12 


10+ 


= 16 


is 1-7 of 21 


13+ 


= 15. 


is 1-4 of 20 


11 + 


= 15. 


is 1-3 of 27 


13+ 


= 17. 


is 1-4 of 28 


14+ 


=17. 


is 1-3 of 36 


13+ 


=18. 


is 1-2 of 18 


11 + 


=16. 


is 1-2 of 25 


11 + 


= 14. 



A good exercise for pupils to work out at home with 
the assistance of their parents: 

(a) Girls play they are taking butter, eggs and fruit to 
market. Let them write a list of the articles and the market 
price they receive. Then let them buy the family necessaries 
and prepare a bill showing all the purchases. 

Second Grade Number 

Give the pupil a piece of manila cardboard 4x6 and a defi- 
nite number of colored circles, the number with which you 
are working in class and ask him to paste them in appropriate 
order on card. 



22 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

After he has grouped them on cardboard direct him to make 
all the possible combinations in the numbers and statements 
regarding same; as — 

12=6+6, 12^2=6 12=4X3, etc. 

Merry-Go-Rround 

A game, which may be played in one part of the room, 
with the supervision of a competent member of the class. Num- 
bers; as, 4; 8; 6 should be printed or written on cards. One 
set may be called the floor cards and' one set should be used 
for the children to carry or hang from their necks. Draw a 
circle on the floor as large as is necessary for all to join hands 
and move around. Now place one card with a number on floor 
inside of circle in front of each child. The children gather around 
the circle. When the leader says, "Merry-go-round/' they 
move around" the circle from left to right. When she says, 
"stop," each child' stops behind a card on the floor and he 
answers the leader's question as his name is called for product, 
sum or difiference. The leader asks for the name of each in- 
dividual and gets in reply the answer, "20. 32," or whatever 
they are playing for. 

Put the following directions on board: 

(a) (Measure your desk with your order. 

(b) Measure your reader, your hand. 

(c) How long is your lead pencil? 

Place number facts like the following on the board and 
let children write the figures that represent the numbers: 

I and I are II. 

II and II are IIII. 
Draw a one-inch line. 
Draw a two-inch line. 
Draw a threeinch line. 
Draw a four-inch line. 
Draw a five-inch line. 
Draw a two-inch line. 
Draw a line twice as long. 
Draw a four-inch line. 
Draw a line one-half as long. 
Draw another two inches longer. 
Draw a line six inches long. 
Draw a line one-half as long. 

Make a primary store from a large box. Let children furnish 
empty boxes and cans to use in the store. Use toy money and 
allow children to play store. Problems may be written on the 
board, as a guide. 

Boys play they are taking grain, hogs, cattle, etc., to 
market. Let them sell at present market price. Then let them 
buy machinery, lumber, pay taxes, hired help, threshing bills, 
etc. Let them show a record of every transaction. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 23 

We sell a plan for playing store. It consists of toy money, 
tickets representing groceries and blank forms for buying and 
selling — also sample pages with instructions to teacher and 
pupil. Ask for Latta's Business Exercise for the Rural School, 
postpaid 45c. 



Second Grade Construction, Drawing, Etc. 



Draw or cut a picture of something you see at each sea- 
son, a bird, flower, fruit, snow. 

Trace a maple leaf, then color with crayons. 

Gut from furniture catalogs, pictures of different kind's of 
furniture. Mount them and use them in your doll's house. 

With plasticine or clay, model the toy you like best, the 
bird you like best and animal you like best. This is excellent 
work as it teaches the child correct form. 

In fall have pupils collect seeds, pods, leaves to draw from 
and color. Varnish them when they are green and they will 
keep color and shape better. 

Cut a bell and write on it a verse appropriate for January 
to use in gift work, etc. 

Draw a clock and place the hands to show the time when 
school begins. 

Bring pussy willows, make pussy cats sitting on a fence 
and have pupils copy and color. 

Distribute green crayons to class, let them, draw and 
color ten things that are green and if possible write the name 
under the drawings. 

Use red crayons in the same manner as suggested above. 

Have pupils cut out forms and let teacher guess after seat 
work period what they are. 

Cut scenes to illustrate stories. The child" cuts at first 
as he draws from the image in his mind, and to succeed, he 
must cut outlines of objects familiar to him. 

Place large silhouette pictures of animals before the chil- 
dren. After the, child has visualized the picture, let him cut 
from memory. After the child has made an attempt let him 
look again. Children learn to look more carefully and thought- 
fully if they know they must depend upon memory. 

We sell a set of 42 silhouette patterns, postpaid' 16c. 

Give child a colored paper to cut into strips for chains. 
Cut a few off for him to suggest width of strip. Let him use 
the best for his chain. A good example of work helps greatly in 
giving the child a desire to do well. 



24 Latta's Sugg:estions for Seat Work 

We sell 2,000 colored papers about 1x6 inches to make 
chains, postpaid 50c. 

Children make durable envelopes of heavy paper or manila 
cardboard by marking around" a pattern that teacher may pre- 
pare. Such envelopes are used to hold busy-work materials. 

Cut geometrical forms of uniform size in oiled stencil 
board and let pupils use these patterns to mark out forms on 
colored papers. Then pupils can make decorative combinations, 
borders, etc. Animals, birds and other objects may be used 
the same way. 

- Have pupils divide a six-inch square into inch squares, 
and place a simple figure in each square, making a surface 
pattern. Use same unit throughout. 

Model beads from clay, stick pins through center and 
stick the pins in a piece of cardboard to let beads dry. After 
they are hard and dry take pins out and put beads in a box. 
When clay beads are dry they are easily colored with water 
colors. At some later time let the children string their beads. 
Try to get them perfectly round. 

Cut free hand fruits and vegetables. 

From clay, model a basket containing different kinds of 
fruit. 

Make a cover for spelling booklet to contain new words 
learned while studying and writing stories about the Pilgrims. 

Model a bird's nest with clay or draw one. 

Make penwipers. Use three pieces of cloth cut round, 
about three inches in diameter; sew a button on top. 

Float colors (yellow and red) on pieces of drawing paper 
and let children cut autumn leaves. Have a leaf on pupirs desk. 

Free hand cutting of capital letters and figures four inches 
high. Mount best work in alohabetical order on stiff paper. 

Cut animals, birds, houses, trees, children, etc., and mount 
best in a poster book for your own use, and for display pur- 
poses. 

Make a pattern for weaving mats, trace it carefully on good 
manila cardboard, cut base and weavers carefully with a sharp 
knife and let pupils use your pattern to mark out mats on 
colored papers by inserting a pencil in the slits. 

Let child use ruler and draw one-inch square. Draw two- 
inch square outside of the one-inch square, and so on. Child 
should be able to state size of any at a glance. 

Make furniture for doll house based on 16 squares. Direc- 
tions for folding 16 squares as follows: 

1. Take the edge that's nearest to you and fold to 
farthest edge. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 25 

2. Take edge that's nearest you and fold to center 
crease. 

3. Turn paper. 

4. Take the edge that is nearest to you and fold to you 
and fold to center crease. 

5. Turn paper half way. 

6. Take the edge that is nearest to you and fold to 
farthest edge. 

7. Turn paper. 

8. Take the edge that is nearest to you and fold to 
center crease. 

(Dictation lesson at first). After children have made one 
under direction of teacher let them repeat same problem 
for seat work. 

Pupils enjoy sand table work and clay modeling. Have 
them work out illustrated reading work on sand table, using 
clay for modeling figures. Many fine things can be done in 
this way. 

Make stained glass windows. Cut frame from black paper. 
Drop paints on moistened drawing paper and when dry paste 
in frame. 

Japanese screens may be made by folding paper m thirds 
and cutting framework. Then drop paints on moistened draw- 
ing paper and paste in frame. 

Balloon Poster 

Have children paint red, orange, green, yellow, violet and 
blue. Paint every other square first, after they dry. paint others. 

Take a quarter and draw around it on best part of each 
painted square. Have children cut out circles. Cut picture 
of a little boy or girl from a magazine. Paste in lower corner 
of 9x12 gray construction paper. Arrange colored circles near 
•top of opposite corner and paste on paper. Then draw lines or 
paste narrow strips of paper from circles to child's hand. 

Poster Scenes 

Let children choose a story that they like. Have them 
make posters representing different scenes in the story. The 
posters may be called plates for a movie lantern and the chil- 
dren may use them to give illustrative talks or in telling the 
story. The children enjoy using their own posters and they 
take great delight in story telling. 



26 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Third Grade Language and Reading 

(a) Write words you would use for more than one: ox, 
child, tooth, box, rose, foot. Write sentences containing the 
words. 

(b) Write sentences describing bread, flour, water, ice, iron, 
glass, etc., e, g: Rubber is elastic. 

Copy this verse and answer in full sentences the questions 
following — 

"If a task is once begun. 

Never leave it till it's done. 

Be the labor great or small. 

Do it well or not at all." 
Which words in this verse rhyme? 

What do you notice about the beginning of every line? 
What marks are at the end of the lines? 
Draw or cut the U. S. flag, and answer the following ques- 
tions in complete sentences — 

How many stars in the flag? 

How many stripes in the flag? 

For what do the stars stand? 

For what do the stripes stand? 

What does a flag at half mast mean? 

At what hour of the day should flags be taken down? 
Write five sentences telling five ways in which you can 
help your mother after school. 

Contractions 

We'll, I'll, can't, 'twas, 'twill, weren't, and after each one 
the same sentence without the contraction. 

Plurals 

Write sentences containing both forms. 

Write the word for more than one knife. 

Write the word for more than one loaf. ' 

Write the word for more than one leaf. 

Write the word for more than one man. 

Write ten other sentences using other words in the 
same way. 

Bring or have pupils bring flowers in season to draw, color 
and write stories. 

Abbreviations 

Write abbreviations for Mister, Mistress, doctor, street, 
Monday, January, etc. 

Opposites 

Write opposites for up, front, forward, north, east, hot, 
wet, small, top and over. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 27 

Description Guessing Games 

Write description of some bird, animal, person, flower or 
object without using its name. These are to be read in class 
for the other children to guess what is being described. 

Written Composition 

Write a story about a dog, telling: What his name is, who 
his master is, what color he is, how he looks and what he 
can do. 

Supplementary Reading 

An excellent device for seat work in second and third 
grades is to let each child bring a story book or two. Place 
these on a little table or vacant desk in some convenient place. 
When a child is sure he knows his lesson let him get a book 
:to read. He must make some report on this reading. 

Original Stories 

Write an original story for reading lesson. Write about 
any person or pet you like. 

Name Words or Nouns 

Write all the names of people, places and things in read- 
ing lesson. Use names in first column in sentences. Later take 
up difference between common and proper nouns. 

Action Words or Verbs 

Teach children to group all action words under one cla$s. 

Tell some action that boys and girls can perform. 

Write action of birds, dogs, horses, etc. 

Pick out all action words in reading lesson. 

A little postoffice may be made and used for the primary 
language classes. The children may be allowed' to write letters 
to each other, make their envelopes, write the addresses, stamp 
and post. There should be a postmaster or mistress to sort 
the mail, sell stamps, etc. This is educational seat work and 
considered very practical. The children enjoy it. 



Third Grade Construction, Drawing, Etc. 

Illustrate: 

"The golden rod is yellow, 

The corn is turning brown, 
The trees in apple orchards 

With fruit are bending down." 
The following poem can be worked on during several seat 
work periods. A booklet might be made. First, copy the poem 
neatly, then illustrate the different pictures in the poem. 



28 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Day Break 

A wind came up out of the sea 

And said, "Oh mists, make room for me." 

It hailed the ship and cried, "Sail on 

Ye Mariners, the night is gone." 

It hurried landward far away 

Crying, "Awake, it is the day." 

It said unto the forest, "Shout, 

Hang all your leafy banners out." 

It touched the wood bird's folded wing 

And said, "Oh bird, awake and sing." 

And o'er the farms "Oh chanticleer, 

Your clarion blow, the day is near." 

— H. W. Longfellow. 
A booklet containing paintings of trees may be made, a 
row of trees in form of a border for the cover. To cut the 
form at once, fold a strip of paper in the middle, and then fold 
again. Without unfolding the paper, cut a tree shape, leaving a 
narrow strip of paper at the bottom. Unfold and you will have 
a row of tree forms. 

Paint a bright sunset on a sheet of 6x9 inch drawing paper, 
about two-thirds down on paper. Then cut from black paper 
or paper painted black by children, tops of buildings silhouetted 
against the sky. Ask children to observe tops of buildings. 



Miscellaneous Exercises 



Reading and Language 

Have as many different readers of the grade you use as 
you can obtain. Have also magazines, story books and chil- 
dren's papers, which the pupils like to bring from home. Let 
pupils exchange their own books for others or pass a book to 
each child and let him read what and where he likes. Then 
ask the children to tell you what they have read, or to write on 
paper all words they do not understand. 

Cut out bits of poetry, memory gems, proverbs and wise 
sayings of great men. Mount on cardboard and give one to 
each pupil to copy and memorize. 

Let pupils practice writing their names, the street, town 
and state in which they live. 

Geography Busywork 

(a) Children trace a map of the United States showing all 
of the states. Then color the states, locate principal towns and 
cities, and draw lines rept-esent^np" the most important rail- 
roads. This is called an industrial map. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 29 

(b) A map prepared in the same way, naming states and 
naming the principal products, such as rice, cotton, wheat, corn, 
etc., would be called a product map. 

Relief Map 
Mixture: 

2 parts fine sand. 

3 parts wood ashes. 

Mix to a paste with boiled linseed oil. Mount while 
moist. After the mixture hardens, varnish the map. It will not 
break or rub oflf. 

Seatwork in Nature Study 

Conversation lessons on nature may be followed by trac- 
ing leaves and coloring for blackboard borders. 

Vegetables such as tomatoes, parsnips, beets, peppers, and 
potatoes are good in mass drawings in color. 

Booklets may be made using vegetable illustrations. Short 
sentences composed by the children may be written underneath 
the drawings. 

Poems Written by Children 

Children can write poetry and will write it if given a chance. 
While they can not do well at it, yet they will make efforts 
worth while and at the same time they will cultivate an apprecia- 
tion of it which they cannot otherwise acquire. Help them a 
few times and encourage them to do this as seat work at 
stated times. 

Thanksgiving Suggestions 

Cut fruits and vegetables and color them. Also cut a basket 
from a piece of construction paper folded. Paste the fruits 
and vegetables in a group and the basket over them, giving the 
appearance of a basket heaped high with fruit. At Easter time 
cut and color eggs and put in the basket. 

Illustrate by cuttings, Pilgrims going to church, etc. 

Construct with clay simple furniture used by Pilgrims, 
as stools, tables, fireplace, etc. 

(a) Sketch the home of the friendly Indians. 

(b) "Dark behind the wigwam rose the forest, and bright 
before it beat the water." Use colors or charcoal. 

Let children make a Pilgrim poster of free hand cuttings: 
The trees in the forest, the Indians' wigwams, the Mayflower, 
the Pilgrim men and women, and" the log houses and churches 
they built. 

Make poster of Pilgrim kitchen. Cut fireplace with the kettle 
hanging on it, the candlesticks on the mantel, two crossed guns 
over the fireplace, a cradle, and a spinning wheel. 

Draw a barn and write a list of all the things that are found 
in a barn at this time of year. 



30 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Cut trees and birds free hand. Mount on landscape made 
as follows: Upper half blue (for the sky), lower half brown and 
green (for the fields). Mount a tree or two and small birds 
flying through the air. Underneath write: 

"The brown birds are flying 

Like the leaves through the air, 
They turn to the South, 

For the summer is there." 

Teacher draws in colors either on board' or large sheet of 
paper, a landscape containing a barnyard. Let children cut 
turkeys, pumpkins, wagonloads of vegetables, etc. The best 
cuttings are pasted in proper places on teacher's drawings. 
This makes an interesting class problem. 

Children make a booklet of their fall drawings and decorate 
cover with a border of the leaf or seedpod shapes. They may 
take these home to show what they have accomplished. 

Children make invitations to their Thanksgiving school 
exercises. 

Christmas Suggestions 

Make calendar suggestive of Christmas. 

Make candy box and put simple design on it with water 
color crayons. 

Illustrate by cutting the Story of the Wise Men. 

Illustrate Christmas songs and stories. 

Correlate all work with Christmas story. 

Illustrate story of Wise Men. Show pictures of Wise 
►Men and let children cut. When they have cut several satis- 
factorily, mount on a card. 

Children make cuttings to represent gifts they have given 
and received and let them color them. 

Model fireplace, camel, star, etc. 

Have children make chains of colored paper for tree at 
home or school. 

Make lanterns for tree by taking a piece of 6x9 white 
drawing paper, and after first washing paper with water, dip 
paint brush in bright colored paints and drop on paper. Fold 
paper and cut in ^^-inch strips from the fold to within Yi inch 
of top. Open and paste. Paste on handle. 

Cut Christmas tree from large sheet of dark green paper. 
Mount this trere on larger sheet of gray construction paper. For 
seat work let the children paint, draw, color and cut gifts and 
decorations for this tree. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 31 

Stick Laying 

A teacher's success in seat occupation work will largely 
depend upon her judgment in selecting and providing niterest- 
ing material that has in it real educational value. See that 
you plan your work to give variety and' interest. Do not wear a 
good thing out. 

Plan your hand work so as to give something new each 
day. Several lines of work such as stick laying, clay modeling, 
sewing cards, paper cutting, weaving, etc., should all find a defi- 
nite place in every primary teacher's program. 

Stick laying of simple forms may be given to the child 
among his first occupation work at school. If the teacher has 
on the child's desk an assortment of colored sticks of varying 
lengths, the child will have altogether a different experience 
than if his desk were bare. Allow him to use these sticks to 
build chairs, tables, or other familiar objects. 



Pegs 



Give children colored pegs and have them separate colors 
and put in separate groups and name the colors. After com- 
pleting the arrangement, pupils may count separate piles and 
then count the whole. 

Direct the pupils to make original groupings. 

A simple table in addition, subtraction, multiplication or 
division may be copied with pegs. 

Let children arrange pegs in imitation of some drawing in 
such a way as to look like a stencil drawing. 

Give a handful of pegs to each pupil and direct him to 
arrange them in various ways as, Roman numerals, squares, 
angles, triangles (horizontal and vertical rows, simple pictures 
of animals, chairs, tables, boxes, houses, windows, etc.,) fol- 
lowing an outline on the board or in imitation of the object 
itself. 

Colored Stick Laying 

Sticks for the laying of figures may be made the basis for 
drawing, arithmetic and geometry, without the children know- 
ing they are doing anything but play. They may be bought 
in various lengths, either plain or colored. 

Teach positions first by imitation, then call for the different 
positions until vertical, horizontal and oblique are as familiar 
as the terms standing, lying, etc. 

By imitation and invention they may be tai^eht the right, 
acli'tfe. and obtuse angles, reproducing these and al! the forms by 
drawing, following by learning names. 



2i2 L atta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Draw pictures of chair, ladder, house, tree, bag, border 
designs, etc., and give pupils colored sticks to make these at 
seats. If ybu are original the pegs, beads, colored sticks and 
the scissors' will furnish an unlimited amount of good seat work. 

Sticks in Number 

Sticks or splints may be cut into short lengths and collected 
in piles, each pile containing as many pieces as the number 
lesson of that day. 

Sticks and Color Teaching 

A first grade child should know the rainbow colors. He 
should know the word red and be able to associate it with the 
the color red. Use pieces of red cloth or red paper at first. 
These should be an inch or two long and vary in color. Parque- 
try papers are nice for this. Have them sort the colors, picking 
oat red, orange, etc. When they become proficient in this give 
them colored pegs to sort and the words red, orange, etc., to 
be placed beneath or above the right pile. Order coated paper 
for distinct colors. 

Give pupils color cards with names of colors beneath each 
color in both print and script. Children assort colors, putting 
pegs in proper pile. Limit the number of various colored pegs 
to the limit of his counting ability and vary from day to day 
as he learns to count. 

Colored sticks of lengths varying from one inch to five 
inches may be used' to teach number, length and color. Have 
pupils arrange five sticks side by side vertically and five one 
above the other horizontally, the longer one below. In thi«' 
way the number five stands out plainly and the comparative 
lengths are easily seen and taught. 

All combinations in addition and subtraction, and even 
multiplication, may be worked out with these sticks; as III, III, 
III, are 9. 

One two-inch stick is two. 

Two two-inch sticks laid' end to end are four. 

Three two-inch sticks, etc. 

Sorting Splints or Sticks 

Have little boxes of colored splints, and let the children sort 
those of the same color and length. 

Plain splints may be bought and colored with diamond 
dyes. This is an exercise that will do for the youngest pupils. 

Soak peas over night and' give a handful to each child 
with some toothpicks or wires, and let him make objects, as 
chairs, boxes, triangles, etc. 

Have pupils arrange pegs in columns as soldiers marching 
in twos, threes, fours, etc. 

Designs of all kinds, houses, train tracks. Jack-o-Lanterns; 
border designs may be made by pupils out of colored pegs. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 33 

Free Hand Cutting 

One of the first pleasures in a child's life is to use the 
scissors. Long before he enters school he has spent hours 
cutting pictures out of papers and magazines and in cutting 
strips and imaginary figures. With great delight he grasps 
the scissors in the school room and soon discovers the pleas- 
ure in well directed seat work. 

The beginner might be permitted to cut around a drawing 
or form but as soon as possible, the copy should be posted at 
a distance and then removed from sight. After proper instruc- 
tion and experience a group of children will cut from imagina- 
tion and you will be delighted with results. Story illustration 
by free hand cutting is the child's delight. 

There is scarcely a limit to the possibilities in paper cutting. 
Cutting for pleasure, for illustration and for constructive de- 
signs. These in turn should be related to other subjects as 
nearly as possible. For instance, circles, squares, etc., teach 
form, and they may be used in number. They may be used 
for color studies. Leaves and flowers may be cut and colored. 
Certain forms may be cut to be used on sand table. This is 
ideal seat work while you are busy hearing other classes. Pu- 
pils, however, should be held responsible for neatness and 
cleanliness about their desks and for the proper use of materials. 

Word Cards 

Mount interesting pictures of animals and objects on good 
cardboard and write under each picture its name. On other 
pieces of cardboard write a number of words corresponding to 
those on the cards beneath the pictures. Have the pupils find' the 
words on second set of cards to match those under pictures. 

Make manila folios or envelopes or boxes and keep these 
cards for further drill work. 

Sewing Cards and Sewing 

Sewing is another occupation that furnishes much valuable 
occupation work for the busy teacher of several grades. 

Give the child a sewing card, a big-eyed needle threaded 
with colored thread" and he will find much pleasure and profita- 
ble employment. This form of exercise is criticized by some 
as being of little value but no one can observe little ones at 
this work without recognizing its educational value because 
deftness and delicacy of touch and finger control are acquired 
which must lead to self control and greater power of con- 
centration. 

It also furnishes a most excellent basis for color and form 
study. Squares, circles, triangles and other geometric forms 
are popular for beginners. Animal life and vegetables should 
be used as models for sewing and these are good subjects for 
color and form study. 



34 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Borders and patterns for bags and covers may be worked 
out in sewing paterns. 

Language and nature study also furnish good material for 
illustration and color work. Booklets might be made to con- 
tain the best work. 



Poems For Study and Memorization 

A considerable amount of the time in seat occupation should 
be used in illustration of poems, stories, and original ideas, to- 
gether with memorizing choice poems and prose selections. If 
this seat work is properly prepared by the teacher and is 
properly motivated by her during her teaching of the selections 
to be used, it will be most thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated 
by pupils. 

Poems also furnish a most excellent basis for good lan- 
guage. Sentences expressed either orally or in writing, describ- 
ing pictures seen in selections, before being allowed to draw, 
cut, mold or express in other ways, is a good exercise. 

The following poems were selected by the Elimination 
Committee of Iowa State Teachers Association for just such 
work as suggested above, especially the thorough study and' 
memorization. They represent the best thought of Iowa edu- 
cators regarding standards for poetry in grades. The com- 
plete list of poems recommended by this committee is given 
here for your reference in case you wish to use them. 

Suggested List of Poems for Various Grades 

Grade I 

Good Night and Good Morning Lord Houghton 

Rain R. L. Stevenson 

The Cow R. L. Stevenson 

The Wind R. L. Stevenson 

Bed in Summer R. L. Stevenson 

Twinkle. Twinkle, Little Star Jane Taylor 

Little Birdie Tennyson 

Grade II 

The Fairies Wm. Allingham 

November Alice Gary 

Thanksgiving Day Lydia Marie Child 

How the Leaves Come Down Susan Cooledge 

Wynken, Blynken and Nod Eugene Field 

The Duel Eugene Field 

Lady Moon Lord Houghton 

Seven Times One Jean Tngelow 

The Brown Thrush Lucy Larcom 

The Blue Bird Mrs. Emily Huntington Miller 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 35 

?he' Swing ;:;::: ^^^"^ Dempster Sherman 

My Shadow .WW", ^- ^ S ^venson 

K. JL. btevenson 

Marjories Almanac Thos. Bailey Aldrich 

'rlTk'r -J-;. • •.• • • • '. •■v;;;;;.v;;;;;.Heien- utThf.fo'n 

ilL^r ^f "^ the Pussy Cat Edward Lear 

Select ons from Hiawatha H W Lonefellow 

A Visit from St. Nicholas . . Moor^ 

Wh^I^lfV ■ ■ ;u" p ■ ■; ■.• 'Samuel F.' Smith 

w/. /t' ^''^''- R- L. Stevenson 

Sweet and Low Tennyson 

Grade IV 

Psalm 23 Bible 

Robert of Lincoln V. ■.'.■.■.*.;; ■/.".Wm". 'Culien' Bryant 

The Gladness of Ivature Wm. Cullen Bryant 

Ihe Mountain and the Squirrel. Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Jack Frost . . . . Hannah F. Gould 

Octobers Bright Blue Weather Helen Hunt Jackson 

Village Blacksmith. H. W. Longfellow 

?u ^""umT ^""^ ^^^ ^°"^ H. W. Longfellow 

The Children s Hour H. W. Longfellow 

The Fountam... jas. R. Lowell 

?t^ ^^*■"^ ^"^^^^" Jas. R. Lowell 

?^c Brook. Tennyson 

The Sandpiper Celia Thaxter 

Barefoot Boy John G. Whittier 

Grade V 

Spring, from Pippa Passes Robert Browning 

Planting of the Apple Tree Wm. Cullen Bryant 

Today. . . . . . .... Thos. Carlyle 

Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers Felicia Hemans 

Abou Ben Adhem Leigh Hunt 

Down to Sleep Helen Hunt Jackson 

The Day is Done H. W. Longfellow 

Paul Reveres Ride H. W. Longfellow 

J^,^^'tage. . Jas. R. Lowell 

?u^ ^."'^ f-?""^ Tohn G. Whittier 

Ihe Daffodils Wm. Wordsworth 

Grade VT 
J.^^ ^^^^ •^''^^ ^y Henry Bennett 

21^ o'^M.-''^^' O- W. Holmes 

The Builders H. W. Longfellow 

Columbus . Joaquin Miller 

The Bugle Song Tennyson 



36 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Grade VII 

Goncord Hymn Ralph Waldo Emerson 

The Blue and the Gray Francis Finch 

Charge of the Light Brigade Tennyson 

Grade VIII 

To a Waterfowl W. CuUen Bryant 

The Last Leaf O. W. Holmes 

The Chambered Nautilus ...O. W. Holmes 

O Captain ! My Captain Walt Whitman 

\ 

Type Lesson 

Poem — Where Go The Boats. 
Dark brown is the river, 

Golden is the sand. 
It flows along forever, 

With trees on either hand. 

Green leaves a-floating 

Castles of the foam, 
Boats of mine a-boating — 

Where will all come home? 

On past the river 

And out past the mill. 
Away down the valley. 

Away down the hill. 

Away down the river, 

A hundred miles or more, 
Other little children 

Shall bring my boats ashore. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 
Method: 
In class, recite the entire poem to the pupils, preceding the 
reading by something as follows: Now, children, I am going 
to recite a little poem for you. I want you to listen and each 
of you to tell me what pictures you see in the poem. 

After getting the central thought of the poem deal with 
each stanza by asking a question similar to the above before 
reading. 

The next reading should' be preceded by a sufficient number 
of questions to enable the pupils to get all the details of the 
picture. 

After such a study has been made of a verse let the pupil 
make drawings, cuttings, etc. to fully illustrate the poem. Have 
the children cut out boats with sails, fold them into boats with 
with a toc^thpick for a mast and paper for a sail. Put the colors 
in appropriate places. If more convenient or for variety, use 
the sand table to illustrate whole poem. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 39 

What Does Little Birdie Say? 

What does little birdie say 

In her nest at peep of day? 
"Let me fly," says little birdie, 

"Mother, let me fly away." 

"Birdie, rest a little longer, 

Till the little wings are stronger." 
So she rests a little longer. 

Then she flies away. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

GRADE II 

November 

The leaves are fading and falling, 

The winds are rough and wild, 
The birds have ceased their calling. 

But let me tell you, my child. 

Though day by day, as it closes. 

Doth darker and colder grow. 
The roots of the bright red roses 

Will keep alive in the snow. 

And when the winter is over, 

The boughs will get new leaves. 
The quail come back to the clover. 

And the swallow back to the eaves. 

The robin will wear on his bosom 

A vest that is bright and new, 
And the loveliest wayside blossom 

Will shine with the sun and dew. 

The leaves to-day are whirling, 

The brooks are all dry and dumb. 
But let me tell you, my darling. 

The spring will be sure to come. 

There must be rough, cold weather. 

And winds and rains so wild; 
Not all good things together 

Come to us here, my child. 

So, when some dear joy loses 

Its beauteous summer glow, 
Think how the roots of the roses 
Are kept alive in the snow. 
• — Alice Gary. 



40 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

GRADE II 
How the Leaves Came Down 

I'll tell you how the leaves came down, 
The great Tree to his children said, 

"You're getting sleepy, Yellow and Brown, 
Yes, very sleepy, little Red; 
It is quite time you went to bed." 

"Ah!" begged each silly, pouting leaf, 
"Let us a little longer stay; 

Dear Father Tree, behold our grief. 
'Tis such a very pleasant day 
We do not want to go away." 

So, just for one merry day 

To the great Tree the leaflets clung, 

Frolicked and danced and had their way, 
Upon the autumn breezes swung, 
Whispering all their sports among. 

"Perhaps the great Tree will forget 
And let us stay until the spring. 

If we all beg and coax and fret." 

But the great Tree did no such thing; 
He smiled to hear their whispering. 

"Come, children all, to bed," he cried; 

And ere the leaves could urge their prayer 

He shook his head, and far and wide, 
Fluttering and rustling everywhere, 
Down sped the leaflets through the air. 

I saw them; on the ground they lay, 
Golden and red, a huddled swarm, 

Waiting till one from far away, 

White bedclothes heaped upon her arm. 
Should come to wrap them safe and warm. 

The great bare Tree looked down and smiled. 

"Good-night, dear little leaves," he said; 
And from below each sleepy child 

Replied "Good-night" and murmured, 

"It is so nice to go to bed." 

— Susan Coolidge. 

GRADE II 
Wynken, Blynken and Nod 

Wynken. Blynken and Nod one night 

Sailed ofl^ in a wooden shoe — 
Sailed on a river of crystal light. 

Into a sea of dew. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 41 

"Where are you going, and what do you wish?" 

The old moon asked the three. 
"We have come to fish for the herring fish 

That hve in this beautiful sea; . . . - 

Nets of silver and gold have we!" 
Said Wynken, 
Blynken, 
And Nod. 

The old moon laughed and sang a song, 

As they rocked in the wooden shoe. 
And the wind that sped them all night long 

Rufifled the waves of dew. 
The little stars were the herring fish 
That lived in that beautiful sea— 
'Now cast your nets wherever you wish- 
Never afeared are we;" 

So cried the stars to the fisherman three: 
Wynken, 
Blynken, 
And Nod. 



All night long their nets they threw 

To the stars in the twinkling foam; 
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe, 

Brmging the fisherman home. 
'Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed 

As if it could not be, 
And some folks thought 'twas a dream thev dreamed 
Of sailing that beautiful sea — 
But I shall name you the fisherman three: 
Wynken, 
Blynken, 
And Nod. 



Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes. 

And Nod is a little head. 
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies 

Is a wee one's trundle-bed. 
So shut your eyes while mother sings 

Of wonderful sights that be. 
And you shall see the beautiful things 
As you rock in the misty sea, 

Where the old shoe rocked the fisherman three 
Wynken, 
Blynken, 
And Nod. 

— Eugene Field. 



42 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

GRADE II 
The Duel 

The gingham dog and the calico cat 

Side by side on the table sat; 

'Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!) 

Nor one nor t'other had slept a wink! 

The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate 
Appeared to know as sure as fate 

There was going to be a terrible spat. 
(I wasn't there: I simply state 
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!) 

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!" 

And the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!" 

The air was littered, an hour or so, 

With bits of gingham and calico. 

While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place 
Up with its hands before its face, 

For it always dreaded a family row! 
(Now mind: I'm only telling you 
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!) 

The Chinese plate looked very blue, 
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!" 
But the gingham dog and the calico cat 
Wallowed this way and tumbled that. 
Employing every tooth and claw 
In the awfullest way you ever saw — 
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew! 
(Don't fancy I exaggerate — 
I got my news from the Chinese plate!) 

Next morning, where the two had sat. 
They found no trace of dog or cat; 
And some folks think unto this day 
That burglars stole that pair away! 

But the truth about the cat and pud 

Is this: they ate each other up! 
Now what do you really think of that! 

(The old Dutch clock it told me so. 

And that is how I came to know.) 

— Eugene Field. 

GRADE IT 

The Brown Thrush 

There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in the tree, 
He's singing to me! He's singing to me! 
And what does he say. little girl, little boy? 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 43 



"O, the world's running over with joy! 

Don't you hear? Don't you see? 

Hush! look! in niy tree, 
I'm as happy as happy can be!" 

And the brown thrush keeps singing,"A nest do you see, 
And hve eggs hid by me in the jumper tree^ 
Don't meddle! don't touch! little girl, little boy 
Or the world will lose some of its joy! 

Now I'm glad! now I'm free! 

And I always shall be, 
If you never bring sorrow to me." 

So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree, 
To you and to me, to you and to me 
And he sings all the day, little girl, little boy, 
Oh, the world's running over with joy! 
But long it won't be, 
Don't you know? Don't you see? 
Unless we are as good as can be." 

— Lucy Larcom. 

GRADE II 

The Bluebird 

I know the song that bluebird is singing, 
Out in the apple-tree where he is swinging. 
Brave little fell w! The skies may be dreary, 
Nothing cares h • while his heart is so cheerv. 

Hark! how the mi ^ic leaps out from his throat! 
Hark! was there e /er so merry a note? 
Listen awhile, and you'll hear what he's saying, 
Up in the apple-tree, swinging and swaying: 

"Dear little blossoms, down under the snow, 
You must be weary of winter, I know; 
Hark! while I sing you a message of cheer. 
Summer is coming and springtime is here! 

"Little white snowdrop, I pray you arise; 
Bright yellow crocus, come, open your eyes; 
Sweet little viqlets hid from the cold', 
Put on your mantles 6^ purple and gold; 
Daffodils, daffodils! Say, do you hear? 
Summer is coming, and springtime is here!" 
— Mrs. Emily Huntington Miller. 



44 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

GRADE II 
The Swing 

How do you like to go up in a swing, 

Up in the air so blue? 
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing, 

Ever a child can do! 

Up in the air and' over the wall 

Till I can see so wide. 
Rivers and trees and cattle and all 

Over the countryside. 

Till I look down on the garden green, 
Down on the roof so brown. 

Up in the air I go flying again, 
Up in the air and down! 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



GRADE II 

My Shadow 

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, 
And what can be the use of him is more than I can set 
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head; 
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into bed. 
— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



POEMS WRITTEN BY PUFJ LS IN ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOLS 

It should not be expected that pupils will produce poetry 
of permanent value, but they can write verses that are satisfy- 
ing to them, that give them a better conception of the meaning 
of poetry and it is certainly an exercise that should be encour- 
aged in the schools. The following are a few illustrations of 
what children have done when given a little encouragement. 
Almost every teacher knows from experience what it means 
to desire to write poetry. Many of us were discouraged and 
punished for such behavior in the schools. The present atti- 
tude is entirely different; we encourage drawing, story writing 
and the writing of verses, for it is the best kind of language 
expression. ^ ; _ 

Allow pupils to write verses on suitable topics. It makes 
splendid occupation work for seat work. Encourage it in 
school and for home work. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 45 

GRADE II— Age 7— New York 

Spring 

The sun is bright, the sky is blue, 

The robin sings his song to you, 

The children dance and scamper and sing 

To see that once more it is spring. 

'Tis spring! 'Tis spring! 

The cheery robins sing, 

The flowers awake from their long winter sleep, 

In the brooks, in the meadows the little fish leap. 

GRADE III— Age 8— Iowa 

My Wish 

Since I've come away back east, 

I'm lonesome as can be. 

But I won't be so very, long for I'm 

going back you see. 
I love the fields of wheat. And not the fields 

corn. If ever I pass through here again, 
I'll look at it with scorn. 
I thought that while in the west 
I would like the east the best. 
But give me the two to pick from 
And I will take the west. 
I love my aunts and uncles. 
And I love the baby still. 
But if you give me a ticket, 
I'll go back out there with a will. 

GRADE IV— Age 10— Iowa 
Home and Mother 

I want to go home to mother. 

To help spend Christmas day. 
There we will all be together, 

Happy, cheerful and gay. 

GRADE V— Age 1 1— Iowa 
Old Santa 

Old Santa is a merry old chap. 

He slips on the house like a very sly mouse 

And down through the chimney 

Into the house. 



46 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

And all the children were fast asleep, 

And none of them ever tried to peep, 

He untied his pack and took out the toys; 

For all the good little girls and boys. 

Nice Santa, 

Old Santa's a merry old chap 

He always brings a nice big pack. 

GRADE VI— Age 12— Iowa 
Beware 

Now little children you had better be good 
And get your mother in some wood. 
For Christmas day is very near 
And Santa Claus will soon be here. 

GRADE VIII 

An Evening in the Forest 

It is evening in the forest 

And the song birds all are still, 

Tho' you hear the plaintive calling 
Of the lonely whip-poor-will. 

The blue mist rises slowly 

From behind the towering trees, 

And through the evening quiet 
There comes a gentle breeze. 

The slender crescent moon, 

Gleaming through the pine tops high, 

Sheds its faintly golden moonbeams 
Down a pathway from the sky. 

The golden stars are twinkling, 
Each leaflet close is furled. 

And the stream is softly murmuring 
A goodnight to the world. 



Clay Modeling 



Clay modeling probably gives the child more pleasure than 
any other hand work because of its great plasticity, but it also 
is excellent as finger and hand training and constructive imagina- 
tion. It furnishes excellent individual seat work after appro- 
priate instruction has been given. The material results may 
seem small but the powers of imagination, of keener observa- 
tion, and sense training are surely developed if good forms 
are made. 



., Latta's Suggestions for Seat Wor k 47 

Get good clay flour or plasticine, five pounds of either 
being sufficient for a class of twelve pupils. Keep the clay in 
individual glass jars to avoid drying and also for convenience 
in assigning individual seat work. Use an oilcloth twelve to 
fifteen inches square or a good smooth board so as to protect 
the desks. After using the clay the pupil should wrap his clay 
in a wet cloth and place in his jar. 

Fruits, animals, vegetables, leaves, etc., may be made cor- 
relating same with language, nature study, reading, etc. 

In connection with sand table illustrations use clay model- 
ing, paper cutting and paper folding, many stories and poems 
may be richly illustrated by combining these various ways of 
illustration. 

Most modeling should be done with the subject before the 
pupils, but the imagination is cultivated in illustrating mental 
pictures of stories, history, etc. 

Weaving 

The desire to weave and the pleasure derived are natural 
because weaving is one of the oldest industries of the race. 

Weaving, like other forms of seat occupation work, trains 
and develops the hand. Weaving differs from many other forms 
of seatwork because one uses both hands and at the same time 
learns color and design or form and there is also opportunity 
for practice in number work in counting the strips in weaving. 
We teach weaving to encourage original designs and create a 
respect for skilled work. 

W^eaving furnishes excellent seatwork after the child has 
had some training in it, but his first lesson should be carefully 
directed. Care must be taken not to overdo the weaving work. 
To keep un the interest in this you will find it necessary to find 
new uses for the mats. Simply weaving will soon tire the child. 

Bed clothes, floor rugs, mats, calendars, other designs, etc., 
may be made by weaving as well as much original work in 
color schemes. 



Designing 

Good points 

1. Neatness 

2. Simplicity 

Things to be avoided 

1. Equal spaces 

2. Filling all spaces 

3. Scattered design 

4. Fussiness 



48 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

In connection with weaving the children might cony and 
memorize the following weaving song. 

Over one and under one and over once again, 

Under one and over one and still you do the same. 

Hey weaver, ho weaver, 

Come and weave with me, 

You'll scarcely find a happier band 

In all this world than we. 
Raflfia, Reed, and Rug weaving are all profitable lines of 
occupation if well directed and properly motivated. Motivate 
his seat work as well as class work by making real situations, 
where individuals will be doing something for a particular pur- 
pose or an immediate use. Vary his work to make it vitally 
interesting. 

Woodwork and sewing among the older pupils may answer 
the same purpose to some extent as ordinary seat occupation 
and should be handled in the same way. The shop work should 
correlate with the arithmetic, agriculture, physiology, geography, 
etc. It may also prove very profitable to allow the weaving, 
cutting, sewing, manual training, etc. to be used as seat work 
to correlate and motivate subject matter of the regular classes. 
Children may furnish a room. Weave the rug for the floor, 
several smaller rugs, and the bedspread may be designed this 
way. 

Picture Study 



One of the subjects very much neglected in our public 
schools is that of art, particularly the study of famous pictures. 

Picture study should not only be given that pupils may 
know great artists and their pictures, but also because every 
normally developed child should be taught to appreciate and 
love the beauty in nature. 

Many people make an attempt to teach picture study but 
never follow any definite plan. The ability to study and interpret 
a bieautiful piece of art is only acquired through well directed 
study. As a preparation for the study of famous pictures, well 
directed questions to cause careful observation and thought 
regarding the picture are necessary. Each picture contains 
beauty of form, beauty of color, and beauty of use. 

Picture study is a delightful recreation in school if the 
study is presented so that it appeals to the children. The fol- 
lowing suggestions will prove helpful: 

1. Choose simple pictures of subjects which the children 
can understand and which appeal to their own experiences. 

2. Remember that pictures representing action are of 
greater interest to children than those which represent repose. 

3. The picture should be large enough to enable the ob- 
jects represented to be easily seen. 



Latta's Sug-gestions for Seat Work 



49 



4. The pictures should possess artistic merit as to both 
form and color. 

5. When the picture is first placed before the children give 
a brief description of it. 

6. During the study, call attention to and ask questions 
about only those features which the children can understand 
and enjoy. 

7. Do not attempt to complete analysis. 

8. Do not moralize. If the picture has a moral the chil- 
dren will find it. 

9. Give a brief and interesting sketch of the artist, calling 
attention to one or two of his other works. 

Before the teacher should attempt to teach any picture 
it should have been thoroughly studied by her. The source, 
setting, arrangement, center of interest, and motive of the 
artist should be known by the teacher before she should attempt 
teaching a great picture. The following questions are given 
as a suggestion for study: 









^^Ifi^x'-^^^^s ^^l^^r "^SKk 




IH 



The above picture is Millet's Gleaners, one of the most 
famous of pictures. 

Questions 

What are these women doing? 

What is meant by gleaning? 

What do you see going on in the distance? 

What season is it? _ 

What time of day is it? 



50 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

What makes you think so? 

Are all of the three women the same age? 

What makes you think not? 

Which is the youngest? Oldest? 

Give your reasons for thinking so. 

Are they tired or not? Weary? Contented? 

Give your reasons for answers. 

Are these women rich or poor? 

Why do you think so? 

Do they belong to the family in this farm home? 

How much grain have they gathered? 

How much have the men gathered? 

How do the men gather their grain? 

How do the women gather theirs? 

Which part of the picture is the most interesting? 

Give your reasons. 

What thought did the artist try to bring out in this 
picture? 

Did he succeed? 

Do you admire the women? Why? 

Where did the custom of gleaning originate? 
Other questions may suggest themselves but these will 
give an idea of a proper method of picture study. 

Many pictures of similar prominence should be studied. 
Pictures of animals, pets, etc., should be taught, not only for 
the appreciation of art, but for their efifect on the child. 

Picture study may be used as a fine aid to language work, 
but in every case the studies should be simple enough for 
grade and should be worthy of study. Picture study may be 
made most interesting seatwork when correlated with lan- 
guage, drawing, etc. 

Following are good pictures. Booklets may be made in- 
cluding studies of oictures and artists. 

Picture Study 

Mount small pictures and number them. Write words, 
phrases, and sentences describing each and enclose them in 
large envelopes with picture which they are to describe. 

Give each child an envelope, instructing him to use the 
words, phrases and sentences in making a description of the 
picture. These descriptions might be read and criticized for 
a language lesson. 

Miscellaneous Suggestions for Seat Work by Seasons 

Fall— 

1. Cut free hand what they did during summer vacation. 

2, Have children bring material for drawing such as 
leaves, rose hips, flowers, and vegetables. 



Latta's Sug-gestions for Seat Work 51 

3. Make daisies on their desks with colored sticks. After 
they have made these, then follow the idea by making 
the same on paper with crayolas. The petals, center, 
stem and leaves cut separately from colored construc- 
tion paper and mounted on gray paper make neat pos- 
ters to take home. 

4. Clay work — mould vegetables. Also cut vegetables 

free hand and mount them in baskets. 

5. Cut post cards or pictures and let children put them 
together. 

6. String corn for beads. 

7. Use ideas from Fair — using shoe boxes for booths. 

Make 

1 Flower booth. 

2 School exhibit. 

3. Vegetable booth. 

4. Fancy work. 
5 Machinery. 

8. Hallowe'en work. 

1 Cut pumnkins and color. 

2 Cut pumpkin faces and color. 

3 Cut cats of black paper and mount on a fence. 

4 Cut bats and witches. 

9. Thanksgiving. 

Cut turkey, goose, duck, pumpkin, pilgrims. Make 
community poster from best cuttings. 

10. Draw landscapes, blue sky, green grass. Vary by mak- 
ing hills, trees, sunsets, etc. 

11. Cut birds flying. 

12. Cut wigwam and canoes. 

13. Cut Indian dress and draw designs on it with crayons. 
Winter — 

1. Tear snow flakes, snow balls and evergreen trees. 

2. Use sticks to show action, such as children sliding 

down hill, children skating, etc. 

3. Cut and color what they would like for Christmas. 

4. Make town of Bethlehem on the sand table. 

5. Model clay toys. 

6. Make winter landscapes. 

7. Cut snow men and mount. 

8. Cut sleds. 

9. Cut pictures from magazines and arrange rooms. 

10. Draw sis;n post covered with snow. 

11. Cut Eskimo scene — icebergs tinted with blue, Eskimo 

huts, sleds, dogs and Eskimo. Make into poster. 



52 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



12. 

Spring— 
1. 

2. 
3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 



9. 
10. 
11. 



In February make flags, soldiers, tents, 
hats, hatchets, etc. 



Washington 



Cut rabbits, chickens, tulips, windmills, clothes hang- 
ing on line, tools used in the garden, etc. 
Make marble bags out of striped or checked material. 
Mould marbles from clay, let dry, then paint with 
water color. 

Mould flower pots from clay. Then plant seeds. 
Give hektographed short stories and have children 
underline the words they know. 
Cut birds and fowls. 
Cut flowers free hand, then color. 

Clay modeling, make furniture they have in their 
homes. Model stories from reading. 
Use sticks in laying spring flowers. 
Use sticks for making houses, barns, etc. 
Give children cards with the names of the days of the 
week on them. Arrange in order. Do the same with 
months of the year. 



Write Sentences Using These Words Correctly 



accede 


beet 


fair 


exceed 


blue 


fare 


accept 


blew 


feet 


except 


boor 


feat 


advice 


boar 


flour 


advise 


Boer 


flower 


all 


bore 


for 


awl 


choir 


fore 


ate 


quire 


four 


eight 


cord 


foul 


aunt 


chord 


fowl 


ant 


cored 


fur 


bale 


counsel 


fir 


bail 


council 


great 


bare 


course 


grate 


bear 


coarse 


Greece 


base 


did 


grease 


bass 


done 


hair 


bawl 


draft 


hare 


ball 


draught 


hale 


be 


drought 


hail 


bee 


either 


hall 


beat 


neither 


haul 



hart 

heart 

here 

hear 

knew 


pause 
peace 
piece 


peas 


(or pease) 


new 


peak 


Inot 


peek 


not 


Ptal 


know 


peel 


no 


picture 


laid 


pitcher 


lay 


nier 


lied 


peer 


lain 


plain 


laid 


plane 


lied 


poll 


lair 


pole 


layer 


Pole 


lay 
lie 


pours 


pores 


lose 


practise 


loose 


practice 


made 


rain 


maid 


reign 


mane 


rein 


main 


real 


Maine 


reel 


mean 


red 


mien 


read 


mood 


right 


mode 


write 


off 


road 


of 


rode 


one 


rowed 


won 


root 


or 


route 


ore 


rows 


oar 


rose 


o'er 


saw 


our 


seen 


hour 


scene 


pair 


see 


pare 


sea 


pear 


seem 


pane 


seam 


pain 


sent 


paws 


scent 



53 



sew 

sow 

so 

soar 

sore 

sower 

sole 

soul 

sum 

some 

son 

sun 

their 

there 

those 

them 

threw 

throu-' 

tide 

tied 

time 

thvme 

to 

too 

two 

tow 

toe 

vane 

vein 

vain 

very 

vary 

way- 
weigh 

weak 

week 

whole 

hole 

wile 

while 

wring 

ring 

wrote 
written 

"OU 

vew 
c-:ve 



Stories for Reproduction 



Note: Read story to class and then have each member 
rewrite the story as it appeals to him. It is not the intention 
to have the story reproduced exactly. It may be changed to 
suit the pupil's imagination. Thus you will have different 
stories and those having the best should be permitted to read 
them to the class. 



A DAY OF EXCITEMENT 

Tom and Charley started early one spring morning to go 
fishing in Gravel Creek which was in Mr. Bradley's pasture, 
about two miles from their village home. At the pasture gate 
they met Mr. Bradley's two little boys who followed them to 
the creek. 

Have pupils finish the story. 

The Little Patriot 

Big Brother goes to school. On Washington's birthday 
they had a program and Mamma and Little Brother visited 
school. 

The teachers gave Little Brother a small flag. One of 
the exercises on the program was a flag drill and when Little 
Brother saw the boys and girls waving the flags he waved his 
flag and cried "ooh ooh!" just as loud as he could. 

The children all laughed and the teacher said, "We have 
a little patriot in school today." 

The Little Soldier 

Helen and Harry were playing in the yard one warm spring 
day when they saw two robins building a nest in a tree. They 
watched the birds getting some small sticks and bits of dry 
grass for the nest. 

"See," said Harry, "the largest robin has only one foot." 
"Poor robin," said Helen, 'T wonder what happened to him." 
"He must have been a soldier," answered Harry, "and got 
wounded in a battle." Then they both laughed, but they felt 
sorry for him. Tlie robins stayed all summer long and when- 
ever Helen or Harry saw the crippled bird they always called 
out, "Hello, soldier!" 

One day the next spring Harry came running into the 
house shouting, "Helen, Helen, soldier is back!" 



Lat ta's Suggestions for Seat Work 55 

The Sparrow's Christmas 

It was Christmas morning. Robert, Mary and little Katie 
were looking out of the window. Santa Claus had left toys, 
books and dolls, candy, nuts and swcetcakes, and all were very 
happy. 

Mary said, "I like Christmas. I am so happy I would like 
to share my happiness with someone else." 

A sparrow flew to the window sill. "O, see the pretty 
birdie," cried little Katie, clapping her hands. Then another 
sparrow came and perched on the window sill. 

"Let us feed the birds some of our sweetcakes," said Robert. 
They raised the window and threw out some crumbs. The 
sparrows were frightened and flew away, but soon came back 
and pecked at the crumbs until they were all gone. Then they 
looked up at the window as though they were trying to say, 
"thank you." 

Little Katie clapped her hands again and Mary said, "We 
are sharing our Christmas happiness." 

Freddie's Birthday Gift 

On Freddie's seventh birthday his father gave him a black 
pony with a brown saddle and a red bridle. The pony's name 
was Ned. Father put the saddle and bridle on Ned and then 
said that Freddie might have a ride. He was just a little afraid 
at first, but soon he wasn't afraid to ride the pony fast. 

Freddie took his sister riding and let his little friends ride 
too. Once when Freddie was going to get on the pony it lay 
down and wouldn't get up. He called his mother and said he 
thought the pony was sick. His mother thought that the pony 
had been ridden enough for one day and had lain down to rest. 

Freddie didn't know that ponies ever got tired, but his 
mother told him that they got tired just like he did. After 
that Freddie was very good to Nfd and remembered not to 
ride him too far. 

Harold's Visit in the Country 

Harold was visiting his grandpa who lives in the country. 
His grandpa had a large clover field and Harold liked nothing 
better than walking through the field picking the pink and red 

blossoms. 11,1 Tj 

While picking blossoms he saw some bumble bees. He 
called them pretty birdies and wanted to. catch one but his 
grandpa told him that if he did the bee would hurt him. 

Harold couldn't understand how such a small thing as a 
bee could hurt him and when his grandpa wasn't looking he 
caught one, hut let it go immediately. Crying with pain he 
said, "Grandpa, birdie bit me." 



56 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Harry Goes to the Fair 

Harry's father told him that he would take him to the 
fair. Harry had never been to a fair and he wondered what 
it was like. His father told him that he would see horses and 
cattle and sheep and chickens and a great many other things 
that people brought. 

Harry had a pet hen. He wanted to take it to the fair. His 
father told him he could, and everyone said that Harry's hen 
was the nicest one at the fair. When the prizes were given 
Harry got a prize*" and a blue ribbon for bringing the nicest 
hen. What do you suppose the prize was? It was a dollar. 
Harry is keeping the money to buy his mother a birthday 
present, but he won't tell anyone what he is going to buy. 

Roy and Eddie 

Roy is five years older than his brother Eddie. He likes 
his brother very much, but sometimes teases him by taking 
away his playthings. Eddie is not old enough to get his play- 
things when Roy takes them away and he can't do anything 
but cry. 

One time, to punish him for teasing Eddie, mother told 
Roy that he would have to stay in a dark room for half an 
hour. While in the dark room he went to sleep and he dreamed 
that he was in fairy land. He dreamed that there was a moun- 
tain of ice cream in front of him and just as he was going to 
take some a fairy carried it away. He followed and again just 
as he was going to take some of the ice cream the fairy carried 
it away. He began to cry, then he saw a mountain of candy. 
He thought he would take a piece but when he put out his hand 
and almost touched a big chocolate drop a fairy carried away 
the candy. 

Then Roy awoke and came out of the dark room. Eddie 
was trying to reach a ball that had rolled away from him. Roy 
didn't say anything but got the ball and gave it to his brother. 
Can you tell why? 

Getting Ready For Winter 

Jimmie lived on a farm. He helped his father and mother 
get ready for winter. He went to the woods nearby and gath- 
ered some nuts. While he was gathering nuts he played that 
he was a squirrel. 

Then he helped his father pick red, juicy apples and put 
them away in the cellar. He tried to carry some pumpkins 
from the garden but they were too heavy for him so he rolled 
them to the cellar door and left them for his father to carry 
down. He wanted pumpkins for his mother to make pumpkin 
pies. He went to the field and helped his father get the big 
yellow ears of corn to feed the horses and cows when there 
was no grass for them to eat. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 57 

One night it got cold and snowed. Then Jimmie was glad 
he had helped to get ready for winter. All winter long he had 
nuts to eat, and red juicy apples, and pumpkin pies, and a great 
many other good things. 

Gretchen's New Skates 

Holland is a beautiful land with its many dikes, windmills, 
and canals. Gretchen is a little girl who lives in this beautiful 
land. Her parents are poor and she doesn't have so many 
nice things as other little girls who live near her home. 

Because of the many canals which are frozen over in the 
winter time all the boys and girls and most of the men and 
women have skates. They skate everywhere; men skate to 
their work, women go shopping on skates, while boys and girls 
skate to school. 

Some have fine steel skates, but Gretchen's were made of 
wood. Her father was too poor to buy any better. Gretchen 
wanted some steel skates but didn't know how to get them. 
One day she was going to the village on an errand for her 
mother. She was skating along the canal when she saw a 
woman ahead of her fall on the ice and hurried to help her up. 
The woman was hurt so badly that Gretchen had to help her 
home. After reaching her home the woman said, "You are a 
kind, good girl. What can I do for you?" Then she saw 
Gretchen's wooden skates, and knowing that all boys and girls 
have steel skates if they can get them she gave Gretchen some 
money for a pair of new steel skates. Gretchen was so happy 
she almost forgot her errand, 

A Holland Christmas 

In Holland the people wear wooden shoes. The boys and 
girls play with theirs as well as wearing them. The boys use 
theirs for boats and the girls put their dolls to bed in their 
shoes. Sometimes they use their shoes for baskets, but the 
queerest thing of all is what they do on Christmas Eve. 

The boys and girls in Holland believe that Santa Glaus 
drives a white horse instead of reindeer, and that the horse 
must be fed or they will not get any Christmas gifts. They 
set their wooden shoes near the fireplace and in the shoes they 
put carrots and hay for Santa's horse. They are always pleased 
the next morning to find that the food has disappeared. 

Last Christmas Gretchen filled both of her shoes with hay 
and carrots and put them by the fireplace. Do you think that 
Santa remembered her? 

Christmas in Norway 

Norso is a ten-year-old boy. His sister, Karen, is a little 
younger. They live on a farm in Norway. They like the sum- 
mer time, but they like the winter best for Christmas comes 



58 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

then. Instead of only one day for feasting and pleasure Norso 
and Karen have thirteen days. 

Karen helps her mother cook and bake for the Christmas 
feasts and Norso helps his father feed their horses and cows 
and sheep. In Norway even the animals are fed more at 
Christmas time. 

The day before Christmas a sheaf of grain is tied to the 
top of a tall pole so that the birds can have a Christmas feast 
too. Norso's father had always tied the sheaf on the pole, but 
last Christmas he let Norso do it, and Norso enjoyed that 
Christmas better than any other because he had helped to make 
his bird friends happy. 

How the Indian Boy Got His Name 

Blackbird was an Indian boy. Isn't that a queer name? 
Would you like to know how he got it? 

Indian boys and girls are not named like white children. 
Often they do not have a name until they are five or six years 
old, and sometimes older, but Blackbird was named when he 
was just a baby or pappoose as the Indians call their babies. 

One day his mother put him in a little cradle made of 
a board and birch bark and hung the cradle on the limb of a 
tree. She left him a long time and when she came to get him 
a blackbird was perched on the cradle. The baby was con- 
tentedly watching the bird and when the bird flew away he 
began to cry. The next day the mother hung the baby's cradle 
on the same limb. The blackbird came again and perched on 
the cradle. 

The mother said, "Pappoose make friends with blackbird," 
and after that the boy was called Blackbird. 

Blackbird Shoots a Deer 

When Blackbird was about eight years old his father gave 
him a bow and some arrows. It was a small bow and the 
arrows were small. His father told him that when he could 
shoot with the small bow he would give him a larger one. 

Blackbird used his bow every day and could finally shoot 
so good that his father was much pleased and gave him a larger 
bow. Then Blackbird was happy and went into the woods to 
see what he could shoot. He saw a deer. He had never before 
shot anything larger than a squirrel, but he thought he would 
try to shoot the deer. He raised the bow and quickly fired an 
arrow which struck the deer and it fell to the ground. Black- 
bird ran to the deer, but it was so large he couldn't move it 
so he ran and called his father. When his father saw the large 
deer that Blackbird had killed he was very proud of his son, 
and told all the men of the village about it while Blackbird's 
mother cooked some of the meat for dinner. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 59 

Blackbird Makes New Arrows 

When Blackbird learned to shoot well with the big bow^ 
his father said he would teach him how to make arrows. 

Late in the fall, when the leaves were falling from the 
trees, he took Blackbird into the woods. He showed him how 
to cut straight strong sticks about as large as Blackbird's larg- 
est finger. These sticks were about two and one-half feet in 
length and were tied in bundles each containing twenty sticks. 
The bundles were wrapped tightly with strings of rawhide made 
from a buffalo's skin to keep them straight, and were carried 
home. They were then hung up over the fire in the tepee to 
be smoked and dried for several weeks. 

After the sticks were dry Blackbird took them down, un- 
wrapped them and scraped ofif all the bark. Then the sticks 
were cut the same length, and they were not the same length 
as his father's arrows for every Indian wants arrows different 
from any other. The next thing that Blackbird did was to cut 
a notch in one end of the stick for the bow string, then taper 
the stick, and on the opposite end he fastened a heart shaped 
arrow head made of stone. Then he painted the arrows green 
and yellow and on each arrow he painted a design in black the 
shape of a bird's bill so his arrows could be told from those of 
any other Indian. 

It took Blackbird a whole day to make an arrow, but by 
the time the warm sun of spring had melted the snows he had 
a great many fine arrows. His father said there weren't any 
better arrows in the entire village. 

On the Big Hunt 

Blackbird had never taken part in the big hunts, but the 
next fall when the Indians hunted buffalo to get a supply of 
meat for the winter he went along. 

They rode for two days away from the Indian village before 
they found any buffalo. On the evening of the second day 
they saw a few small herds and thought that a large herd must 
be near. Great preparations were made for the next day's hunt. 
The men were out early, but not too early for Blackbird. 

Three warriors were sent out in different directions to look 
for the buffalo and soon one returned with the word that a 
large herd was near. This caused great excitement. The 
hunters, each on his favorite horse, rode rapidly and when they 
came in sight of the buffalo the horses became as much excited 
as the men. They had been trained to hunt and needed no 
guiding. The buffalo took fright and ran, but the horses could 
run faster. When the hunters got close enough they shot their 
arrows from their strong bows and as soon as one buffalo was 
killed the hunter would start after another until the herd was 
scattered. 



60 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Each hunter could tell which buffalo he killed by the 
peculiar marks on his arrow. The largest buffalo was killed 
with arrows that were painted green and yellow with a black 
design the shape of a bird's bill. Blackbird knew and every 
other hunter knew whose arrow had killed that buffalo and he 
was very happy. When the hunters returned to the village 
with many pack horses loaded with meat they made Blackbird 
ride ahead to show that he had won the highest honor during 
the hunt. 

Where Olive Found Her Ribbon 

Olive got a new hair ribbon and wanted to put it on right 
away. Her mamma told her she might wear it a little while 
if she would be real careful. Olive promised to be careful and 
only wear it a few minutes. 

After Olive had the new ribbon tied in her hair she went 
out into the yard to play, and forgot all about the ribbon. When 
she went into the house again the ribbon was gone. She went 
back and looked everywhere in the yard but she couldn't find it. 

One day it rained and the wind blew so hard that it blew 
a bird's nest out of a tree. After the rain Olive went out to 
look at the nest, and, what do you think, there was her ribbon. 
A little bird had found it and had lined its nest with it. 

The ribbon was faded and no longer pretty, but Olive was 
glad to find it and carried the nest with its queer lining to show 
her mother. 

Ralph and Rover 

Ralph has a dog which he has named Rover. Ralph and 
Rover have fun playing together. They run through the fields 
and in the woods. Sometimes they play ball. Ralph throws the 
ball as far as he can and Rover runs after it, bringing it back 
in his mouth. Sometimes Ralph holds a stick and Rover jumps 
over it. He barks with delight. He thinks it great fun to jump. 

One day Rover was waiting for Ralph to come out and 
play, but Ralph didn't come. Rover barked and whined. He 
was calling to his playmate. But Ralph was sick and he couldn't 
go out to play for many days. Rover didn't run through the 
fields and woods. He walked around slowly looking for Ralph. 
At last Ralph was well. He went out doors. The sun was 
shining brightly. He called Rover. Rover came jumping and 
barking with delight. He was glad to see his playmate again. 

Rover Rescues Ralph 

One day Ralph and Rover came to a river that flows through 
the woods. Ralph threw a stick into the water. Rover jumped 
in and brought it back. Ralph threw in another. Rover jumped 
in and got that too. He liked the water, and thought it fun to 
bring back the sticks in his mouth. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 61 

Ralph got close to the water's edge. He tried to throw a 
stick across the river. Instead his foot slipped and he fell. He 
went down into the water. Then he felt something tugging at 
his collar and he was dragged out of the water. Rover had 
rescued him. Ralph didn't like the water but he liked Rover 
better than ever after that and when he told his papa and 
mamma about it they patted Rover on the head and said, "Good 
Dog," and gave him some sweet milk for his supper. 

Rover Likes to Coast 

Ralph got a new sled for Christmas. He and Rover went 
out to play. Ralph pulled the sled and Rover ran beside him. 

Ralph coasted down a steep hill while Rover ran after him 
just as fast as he could go. Ralph thought he would have 
Rover pull him up the hill so he made a harness with rope and 
hitched Rover to the sled. Rover didn't mind that in the least. 
He ran all the way up the hill. 

One time after Ralph had gotten on his sled Rover jumped 
on behind and they both coasted down the hill. After that 
Rover coasted down every time. Don't you think it is funny 
for a dog to coast? 

The Spring Snow 

Very early one spring a pair of robins came from the 
Southland where they had been all winter long. The days were 
nice and warm. The sun was shining brightly. Mr. South 
Wind was making the green shoots spring up in the grass and 
if you had looked real closely you could have seen buds on the 
trees. Every morning the robins heard a chickadee chirping. 

Surely spring had come. But one night Mr. North Wind 
came back for a last visit and the next morning it began to 
snow. The robins didn't hear the chickadee. "The chickadee 
doesn't like the snow," they thought, and they didn't like it 
either. It made their feathers wet, and it was cold. They 
wanted to find a place away from the snow, but there didn't 
seem to be such a place around. Then one of the robins saw 
some thick gooseberry bushes. He peeked under and there was 
Mr. Chickadee, all snug and warm. The bushes were so thick 
that no snow could get through. 

"Good morning, Mr. Chickadee," said the robin. 

"Good morning, Mr. Robin." 

"You look nice and warm. Is this where you live?" 

"Yes, I have lived here all winter. Won't you come in out 
of the snow?" 

Mr. Robin called to his mate and when his mate came they 
hopped into Mr. Chickadee's home under the bushes and there 
they stayed until the snow quit falling and the sun was shining 
warm again. Then they thanked Mr. Chickadee for his kind- 
ness and flew back to the tree where they were going to build 
a nest. 



62 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

The Wren's Queer Nest 

Out in Farmer Brown's workshop hung an old coat which 
he did not wear very often. One day a wren was looking for 
a place to build a nest. It saw a window open and flew into the 
shop and then it saw the old coat and a pocket in it. "Just 
the place for a nest," thought the wren. So it made a nest in 
the pocket and laid some eggs. By and by the eggs hatched 
and there were three little wrens for the mother bird to feed. 
She fed them well and they grew fast. 

One day it was raining, and Farmer Brown wanted his old 
coat. He went into the shop and put it on. The mother wren 
flew out of the pocket and flew around him calling to her young 
ones. At first Farmer Brown couldn't understand what the 
wren wanted. He thought he heard something in one pocket. 
He looked in and there were the three young wrens. Then 
he knew why the mother bird was so excited. ''Little bird," 
he said, "I'll not take your nest." Then he took oiT the coat, 
hung it up where it was before, and didn't touch it again until 
the young wrens were large enough to fly away. 

Koolilook, the Eskimo Boy 

Koolilook lives in the far Northland. He is an Eskimo 
boy. In the summer time he lives in a tent made of reindeer 
skins, and in the winter time in a house made of ice and snow. 

Koolilook has never tasted candy. He wouldn't know what 
it was if he saw it. Instead of candy he has pieces of tallow 
and bowls of grease to eat. He likes that as well as we do 
our candy. 

Koolilook's father has a big sled which is pulled by six 
dogs. He gave Koolilook a small sled and a dog. He taught 
him how to hitch the dog to the sled and now Koolilook goes 
out for long rides. His mother made a robe for him. She made 
it of a polar bear skin and he never gets cold. Koolilook likes 
to drive his dog hitched to the sled, but he wishes he was a 
big man so he could have a large sled and a team of dogs like 
his father. 

Curious Puss 

Puss was a very curious cat. She was always trying to 
find out about everything. She looked everywhere and wanted 
to put her paw on everything she saw. Her mistress often told 
her that her curiosity would get her into trouble. 

One day puss saw something bright. It shone like silver 
and was just the color of silver. Puss thought it was pretty. 
She went up close and touched it with her paw. Snap it went, 
and puss's paw was caught in a new steel trap her mistress had 
set for a rat. 

Puss cried out in pain and her mistress came running to 
see what was the matter. When her mistress saw puss she 
said, "1 told you that you would get into trouble." 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work -63 

Bunny's Escape 

Bunny White Tail woke from a long sleep. He was hun- 
gry. Stretching himself and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes 
he crept to the door of his home at the foot of an apple tree 
in Farmer Long's orchard. He put his head out of the door- 
way real slowly and looked around to sec whether everything 
was all right. It was snowing. 

"This is no time to look for anything to eat," thought 
Bunny White Tail and crept back again into the farthest corner 
of his home to wait until it quit snowing. Bunny never did 
like to get out while it was snowing. The snow always settled 
down in his long fur and made him feel uncomfortable. 

After awhile Bunny went to sleep again. He didn't know 
how long he slept but when he awoke he was hungrier than 
ever. He went to the door of his home and peeped out. It was 
still snowing and it was daytime as well. Two reasons why he 
shouldn't go out. Bunny doesn't mind the daylight during the 
summer, but when it is winter he seldom ventures out except 
at night, unless he thinks it is going to snow and he wants to 
get something to eat before. 

Bunny waited again. It seemed ever so long. Then he 
sniffed the air. He didn't believe it was snowing so he crept 
up to the door once more. The door was almost covered with 
snow. He pushed it away with his nose and looked out. Sure 
enough it had quit snowing and it was night. Bunny stood quite 
still until his eyes became accustomed to the snow and he 
could see well, then he hopped out. The snow was cold on 
his feet but he didn't mind that. He skipped around in sheer 
delight. The crisp, cold air made him want to hop and how 
he did hop and jump. He forgot all about being hungry until 
he became tired of his play then he started off on a search 
for something to eat. 

After looking all around Bunny found some sweet corn in 
Farmer Long's garden. Farmer Long had let it get ripe for 
seed, but Bunny didn't ask himself whether anyone wanted it 
or not. He always did like sweet corn when he could find it, 
which was not very often, and he ate until he was satisfied. 
Then he scampered off across the meadow and went back to 
his home another way. 

Bunny slept most of the next day, but when night came 
he was real hungry and thought of the fun he v^ould have eat- 
ing sweet corn in Farmer Long's garden. He didn't even stop 
to play but hopped right straight over into the garden to get 
some corn. He couldn't find any. Someone had picked the 
corn and didn't leave so much as one small ear. O, but Bunny 
was disappointed. He had thought he was going to feast on 
sweet corn and he couldn't find a bit. 

Seeing a box in the garden that he didn't remember having 
seen the night before he hopped over to take a closer look at 
it. The. box was propped up on one end, and, what do you 



64 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

think, there was a big ear of sweet corn under the box fastened 
on a stick, just like it might have been put there so it would 
be handy for him. When Bunny saw that ear of corn he forgot 
all about how disappointed he had been such a little while 
before. He began to nibble at the corn when, crash, all at 
once the box fell over and he was under it. My, he^ was scared. 
He didn't know what he was going to do. 

Bunny White Tail had been frightened before but never so 
much as then. He didn't eat any more corn after the box 
fell down. He didn't think about the corn after that. He 
didn't think of a thing except how he might get out. He tried 
every corner and side of the box but there was no opening any- 
where. He tried to dig under the box but the ground was 
frozen and he couldn't. At last he thought he would break 
the side of the box by jumping against it, but try as he would 
he couldn't do anything but hurt himself. He had heard of 
other rabbits being caught in traps and he thought that he 
had surely gotten into a trap himself. 

He had tried every possible means of getting out, but it 
did no good so at last he sat down and waited. There was 
nothing else that he could do. He waited a long time. Finally 
he heard a noise near the box and his heart thumped. Two 
eyes peeped at him through a crack in the box; then he heard 
Willie Long call, "Sister, I caught a rabbit." Sister came run- 
ning and she and Willie talked about what a good dinner they 
would have. Bunny was more scared than before. He was so 
scared that he didn't move at all, but sat perfectly still even 
when Willie raised a corner of the box, slipped in his hand and 
caught him by the back of the neck. Willie pulled Bunny out 
from under the box, and Bunny began to jump and squeal but 
he couldn't get away. Willie and sister started toward the 
house talking about what a fine pot-pie Bunny would make. 
Willie wasn't looking where he was walking and caught his 
foot in a hoop which he had rolled into the garden one day 
and didn't pick up. This tripped him and as he fell he threw 
out his hands and let go of Bunny. 

Bunny jumped and without looking around or hesitating an 
instant ran just as fast as he could go and tumbled into the 
door of his home all out of breath. And he never visited 
Farmer Long's garden again that winter. 

The Squirrel's Winter Home 

It was autumn. Bushy-tail Timber Squirrel had been play- 
ing all summer long, with no thought of what he would have to 
eat from one day to the next. When the leaves turned from 
green to brown and the nuts on the trees began to fall he 
knew it was time to prepare for winter. 

The winter before he had lived in a large hollow log and 
he went to see whether the log was suitable for his home 
arnother winter. He soon found it and as it was unoccupied ^ 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 65 

went in and took possession. He carried in some leaves to 
make it nice and warm and then at one end of the log he fixed 
a place for his winter's supply of food. 

The nuts were ripe and he began gathering them. Near 
his log home were hazelnuts. He clambered over the hazel 
bushes and ripe nuts fell to the ground. Then he scampered 
down and picked each nut up separately and weighed it in his 
paws. H it seemed too light to be good he threw it away but 
if heavy he carried it into the log and put it away for winter. 
He was busy all day long and by night had a great many nuts. 
For three days he gathered hazelnuts and he decided that he 
had enough of those so he went to look for hickory nuts. He 
knew where there were some hickory trees but they were a 
long distance from his home. However, he couldn't find any 
nearer and without spending much time in idle search he began 
making the long trip to where the hickory nuts grew. He 
couldn't get many of these in a day though he scurried as 
rapidly as he could, and it was more than two weeks before 
he was satisfied. 

One day he was going back to his home a dififerent way 
than he had gone before and discovered an oak tree with some 
real large acorns. He didn't like acorns very well, though he 
did eat them when he couldn't get anything else, but these 
looked good. He put down his load of nuts and picked up an 
acorn, bit the shell off with his sharp teeth and tasted the meat, 
"That's fine," he thought, "I'll have to get some of those to 
eat this winter." 

When he finished gathering hickory nuts he remembered 
the acorns and hurried away to get some. These grew near 
his home and it was not long until he had all he wanted. Then 
he sat down on the log, but soon he grew restless and to make 
the time pass quickly he jumped from his log to the limb of 
a tree then back to his log again. Suddenly he stopped and 
sat down on the log to think, and this is what he thought, "If 
I had a nice big ear of yellow corn it would be fine this winter, 
I believe I'll try to get one." 

Suiting action to his thoughts he scampered away toward 
Farmer Long's corn field where big yellow ears of corn grew. 
He had no difficulty in finding the field but he couldn't pull an 
ear from the stalk nor shake it ofif so he used his teeth. Noth- 
ing could resist those sharp teeth and soon the ear of corn 
fell to the ground. Bushy-tail jumped down from the stalk and 
picked up the ear of corn with his teeth and front feet. It was 
such a large ear that he could hardly travel, but he managed 
to get along slowly. He hadn't gone far when Farmer Long's 
dog saw him and started in pursuit. There was no use in try- 
ing to carry the ear of corn and get away from the dog. There 
wasn't a tree near by so he dropped the corn and scurried 
away to safety. The dog soon lost track of him and Bushy- 
tail heard him barking on the other side of the field. Then 



66 Latta's Sug-gestions for Seat Work 

Bushy-tail found his ear of corn again and carried it to his 
home without further mishap, and to prove to himself that he 
wasn't afraid of Farmer Long's dog he went over to the corn 
field next day and got another ear. 

A "little while after Bushy-tail had gotten settled for the 
winter Farmer Long thought that he had better get some wood 
to burn. He went into the forest and cut some trees and then 
he saw Bushy-tail's log. "This is a hollow log," he thought, 
"But it is worth something." Bushy-tail didn't know that his 
home was in danger until he felt the log moving, then he 
rushed out chattering and scolding as fiercely as he could. 

"O, ho," said Farmer Long, "this must be Bushy-tail's win- 
ter home. You needn't be so saucy about it though, Bushy-tail, 
I'll not take your home." He put the log back like he had found 
it and there Bushy-tail lived all winter with nothing to disturb 
him and with plenty to eat. 

When Happy Meadowlark Was Sorry 

Mrs. Meadowlark told her family one morning that, it was 
time for them to go South for the winter. 

"Why do you want to go South?" asked Little Happy, the 
cheeriest one in the whole family. 

"It will soon get cold here while in the South it will be 
warm all the time. Then when winter is over we will come 
back again." 

Happy Meadowlark wasn't very old. He had never lived 
through a winter and he didn't know what Mrs. Meadowlark 
was talking about. He was perfectly satisfied where he was. 
There was plenty of weed seed and grass seed to eat. It was 
nice and warm and he couldn't understand why his mother 
should want to leave such a pleasant place. He refused to go 
along, so Mrs. Meadowlark and the others left him all alone. 

Happy was rather sorry to see them go but he didn't pre- 
tend that he cared. After they were gone he was lonesome 
though he sang as loud as he could. He didn't so much mind 
being alone after a few days and became quite contented again 
with plenty to eat and pleasant warm days. 

But the warm days didn't last. One night it turned real 
cold. Happy shivered and wondered if that could be winter. 
He didn't like it. The next night it was colder and Happy 
shivered still more. Before morning it began to snow. Then 
Happy wished that he had gone South with Mrs. Meadowlark 
and the others, but it was too late. He was, sorry that he 
hadn't listened to his mother, but being sorry -didn't do any 
good. 

When morning came he was stifif with cold and knew that 
he would freeze unless he found some shelter. The snow clung 
to his feathers and he was so cold that he cotild hardly fly, 
but finally he' found a haystack in the corner of the- meadow. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 61 

Scraping away a patch of snow he dug down into the hay and 
made a shelter for himself. 

That was much better than being out in the meadow with- 
out any protection. When it quit snowing he flew out of his 
hurriedly made nest. Everything was covered with a white 
blanket. He was hungry but there was nothing to eat that 
he could see. He began scratching in the hay and found some 
plump clover seed. That was just what he wanted. He stayed 
in this horne a long time and lived on clover seed. However, 
he didn't like the cold and it was very lonesome without any 
other birds around except a few sparrows. They were saucy 
little things and not very good company. 

One day a man came and hauled away the stack of hay. 
Then Happy didn't know what he would do. He had no place 
to stay and nothing to eat. He flew around looking for shelter 
and came to a barn. In the barn were a great many cows. He 
remembered having seen the cows in the pasture the summer 
before but he didn't like to be so close to them. He flew out 
but it was so cold outside that he flew back again. At least 
it was warm and there seemed to be all he would ever want 
to eat. 

A little later he was terribly frightened when a man came 
into the barn to feed the cows. He was so frightened that he 
left his warm shelter and flew back to the meadow. He found 
some tall weeds which protected him somewhat, but he shivered 
with the cold. He stayed there all night, then he ventured back 
to the barn. Two boys came to feed the cows that day and 
he wasn't quite so badly frightened as he had been before. One 
of the boys saw him, "O, Jack, see the meadowlark." 

"That must be the one that father saw when he hauled in 
the stack of hay." 

"It's queer he didn't go South for the winter." 

"He must be hungry. What can we feed him?" 

"I'll get some bread crumbs." 

The boys threw some bread crumbs on a board. Happy 
watched them from where he was perched on the top of a 
post. He didn't know what they were putting on the board 
but it smelled like it was good to eat and when the boys were 
gone he flew down and pecked at the crumbs. They were good 
and he didn't stop eating until the crumbs were all gone. 

After that the boys brought bread crumbs every day. With 
the crumbs and what he could find around the barn he didn't 
suffer from hunger, but he couldn't get over being afraid when 
anyone came to feed the cows, and whenever he flew out of 
the barn he got very cold. Sometimes it was cold in the barn. 
He was very, very sorry he hadn't gone South when Mrs. 
Meadowlark wanted him to go. He had plenty to eat, but it 
wasn't any fun suffering from the cold and being frightened 
every day. 



68 Latta's Sug-gestions for Seat Work 

After a time the cold weather was gone. The grass began 
to grow green in the meadow and Happy began again his 
cheery song. He flew down into the meadow and was as happy 
as could be. One day Mrs. Meadowlark and the others came 
back from the South and told him how much fun they had had 
while away and how pleasant everything had been. Happy 
didn't say anything, but the next fall when Mrs. Meadowlark 
said it was time to go South for the winter he was the first 
one ready to go. 

Digger's Summer Experience 

Digger, the Pocket Gopher, lives in Farmer Long's meadow. 
Now Farmer Long doesn't like him. Digger didn't know that 
for a long time, but he learned one summer that the farmer 
is his worst enemy. 

Farmer Long doesn't like him because he digs holes in 
the meadow and shoves the dirt out in mounds that cover the 
grass. That is why he has been given his queer name. Digger 
eats the roots of plants that grow in the meadow. He also likes 
parsnips and carrots and potatoes, but it is seldom that he is 
so fortunate as to find any of these. The most of the time he 
must look for the small roots of the meadow plants and as it 
takes a great many for him he must keep digging. 

One warm summer day Farmer Long was walking across 
his meadow. He saw where Digger had made a new mound of 
dirt, covering some of the nicest grass. Of course Digger didn't 
know he was killing the grass by making mounds. He didn't 
know that what he was doing was troubling any one, but Farmer 
Long was angry, and that was when the trouble began for 
Digger. 

A little later Digger saw light shining into his home. Most 
animals have a doorway to their homes, but Digger doesn't. 
He never feels safe unless everything is dark. Whenever he 
wants to get out he digs out and when he goes back he fills 
the hole with moist dirt and packs it as solid as he can with 
his feet. 

It doesn't matter where Digger may be in his home he can 
always tell when there is light coming in anywhere. It makes 
him nervous. He knows that something has been bothering 
around his home. He is a brave little fellow even though he 
does hide himself in the ground and whenever he sees that there 
is light coming in somewhere he immediately goes to see what 
is the matter. He never stops until he finds the place where 
the light is coming in and fills it with dirt. 

On that summer day, after Farmer Long had discovered the 
new mound, when Digger got near to the place where the light 
was shining in he smelled something good. The nearer he got 
to the place the better it smelled. Then he saw three small 
pieces of parsnip. He hadn't had any parsnips for a long time 
and was glad when he saw those small pieces. He didn't ask 



^ Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 69 

himself how they could have gotten there. He just tucked 
them away m a corner of his home and filled the opening that 
was lettmg m the light. Then he got the pieces of parsnip and 
began his feast. 

If he had known that Farmer Long had put a little poison 
in each niece of parsnip he wouldn't have been so anxious. But 
he didn t know so he picked up one piece of parsnip and tasted 
It. It was good. He ate it in a hurry and picked up the next 
piece and ate that. Then he began to feel sick, and, O, how 
sick he was. He thought surely he would die. but he didn't 
He got well after a time and he resolved that as long as he 
lived he would never eat anything that was dropped in his 
home. If he wanted anything to eat he would find it for 
himself. 

Digger didn't make any mounds for several days. He had 
been too sick and Farmer Long thought that he had gotten 
the best of him. But Digger came out again one day and made 
a new mound. Farmer Long saw it and was angry. In a little 
while Digger saw that light was shining into his home. He 
found the place. It was right where he had made the last 
mound. He thought probably he hadn't tilled the opening as 
well as he should. He dug some dirt loose from the side of 
his house and pushed it toward the opening that was letting in 
the light. Suddenly something went snap and caught him by a 
toe of one hind foot. He pulled but he was fast. It hurt and 
he wanted to get loose but he couldn't. Then he dug his front 
feet into the ground and pulled just as hard as he could. That 
hurt still worse but he kept right on pulling anyway and finally 
he pulled himself loose. His toe was sore. It hurt so bad that 
he could hardly walk, but he was afraid to stop working until 
he made his home dark and had the opening filled with well 
packed dirt. 

He had learned that there were two things to avoid — traps 
and anything to eat that he didn't find himself. He became 
very cautious when he saw light shining in his home. If he 
saw any pieces of parsnip he picked them up carefully, carried 
them out into the grass and threw them away. If he saw a trap 
he just filled up a part of his home back of the trap and dug 
a new room in some other place. Of course he had to make a 
new mound then to get the dirt out of his new room and that 
always made Farmer Long angry. 

Farmer Long tried every way he could think of to catch 
Digger, but he couldn't do it. Digger learned that the farmer 
is his enemy and learned how to keep out of his clutches. Dig- 
ger is still living in the meadow and the last time I was there 
he had just made a new mound. I don't know if he needed 
a new room for his home or whether he had been digging for 
roots. 



Gems of Thought and Verse 

For Primary Teachers and Primary Pupils 

Note: This collection is the effort of a primary teacher. 
They are numbered consecutively for convenience. Teacher 
might make a selection and write same on the board for pupils 
to copy for penmanship and to commit. Again, teacher might 
allow some pupil to make a selection for all. Again, teacher 
might allow each pupil to select for himself — or allow a com- 
mittee of children to select. Of course, other gems of thought 
and verse may be gathered by teacher and pupils. 



Rules for Happiness 

1. Do something for someone every day. 

2. Look at something beautiful every day. 

3. Commit a beautiful thought to memory every day. 



1 

"Our lives are songs; God writes the words, 

And we set them to music at pleasure; 
And the song grows glad or sweet or sad, 

As we choose to fashion the measure. 
We must write the music, whatever the song. 

Whatever its rhyme or meter. 
And if it is sad, we can make it glad. 

Or if sweet, we can make it sweeter." 

— Selected. 



"There are many who need the kind words we can give- 

The aged, the poor, the distressed. 
And the heart that is lavish in sharing its gifts, 

Is the heart that is truly blest." 

— Selected. 

3 

"We cannot change yesterday, that is clear. 
Or begin on tomorrow until it is here; 
So all that is left for you and for me 
Is to make today as sweet as can be." 

— Emma C. Dowd. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 71 



"Tiny threads make up the web, 
Little acts make up life's span. 

Would you ever happy be 

Spin them rightly while you can. 

When the thread is broken quite, 

Too late then to spin aright." 

— Selected. 



"Not enjoyment and not sorrow, 
Is our destined end or way, 

But to act, that each tomorrow 
Finds us farther than today." 

— Longfellow. 



"Little moments make an hour 

Little thoughts, a book; 
Little seeds, a tree or flower, 

Water drops, a brook; 
Little deeds of faith and love 
Make a home for you above." 

— Anon. 



"The one who seeks for hanoiness 
To crown his comrades all. 

Is sure to find reward himself: 
His crown, the best of all." 

— T. Martin Towner. 

8 

"Humble we must be 
If to Heaven we go; 

High is the roof there 

But the gate is low." 

— Selected. 



"Little deeds, like little seeds. 

Grow and grow and grow; . 
Some^arc flowers and some are weeds. 

Giving joy or. woe. 
Let us sow but hannv deeds . /. 

Everywhere we go." 

— Selected. 



72 Latta's Sugg-estions for Seat Work 

10 

"Ask not how, but trust Him still, 
Ask not when, but wait His will; 
Simply on His word rely, 
God shall all your need supply." 

— Selected. 

11 

"If ever you are sory 

For things that you say. 
And wish to do better, 

I'll tell you a way. 
Whenever you are angry, 

Pretend you are a bird, 
And sing, just a little, 

But don't say a word." 

— Mary Ellerton. 

12 

"One rule" to guide us in our life 
Is always good and true; 

'Tis do to others as you would 
That they should do to you." 

— Selected. 

13 

Prayer. 
"Now before we work today 
We will not forget to pray 
To God who kept us through the night 
And brought us to the morning light. 

Help us, Lord, to love Thee more 
Than we have ever done before. 
In our work and in our play 
Be Thou with us every day 
For Jesus' sake. Amen." 

— Selected. 

14 

"Sing a song of summer time. 
Of days so bright and clear. 
When sweet flowers scent the air 

And songs of birds we hear. 
Oh. we love the summer days. 
The fairest of the vear. 
Welcome the happy days of summer." 
— Laura Frost Armitage, 



Latta's Siig:2:estions for Seat Work 



15 
"Old Winter is a sturdy one 

And lasting stuff he's made of. 
His flesh is hrm as iron stone — 
There's nothing he's afraid of." 

— Selected. 

16 
Seasons, 
"Sing a song of seasons, 
Something good in all; 
Flowers in the summer, 
Fires in the fall." 

— Selected. 



17 
"Summer is gone, Autumn is here, 
This is the harvest for all the year — 
Corn in the crib, oats in the bin. 
Wheat is all threshed, barley drawn in. 

— Selected. 



/ 



18 
".^11 is bright and cheerful round us. 

All above is soft and blue. 
Spring at last hath come and found us: 

Spring and all its pleasures, too. 

Every flower is full of gladness, 

Dew is bright and buds are gay; 
Earth, with all its joy and madness, 
Seems a happy place todav." 

—J. M. Neale. 
19 
"In Fall we have the chestnuts; 

In Winter, snowballs white. 
In Spring, we have strawberries, 
In Summer, melons ripe." 

— Maude M. Grant. 



20 
"Icicles and bicycles, 

Why, a pretty rhyme. 
Though one belongs to winter. 

And one to summertime. 
Bicycles and icicles, 

They're almost merry mates. 
For the boy who rides a wheel in June, 

In January, skates." 

— Anna Pratt. 



74 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

21 

"In cold and heat, in snow or rain, 

Let's all be gay together; 
And do our work the best we can, 

Regardless of the weather." 

— Virginia Baker, 

22 

"Whatever the weather may be, he says 
Whatever the weather may be, 
It's the songs ye sing and the smiles ye wear 
That's a-makin' the sun shine everywhere." 

— James Whitcomb Riley. 

23 

"When the oak comes before the ash, 
You'll have a summer of wet and splash; 
When the ash comes out before the oak. 
You'll have a summer of dust and smoke." 
— The King's Own. 

24 

"As sunshine and rain. 
Pleasure and pain. 

Each day on some must fall. 
So the wise thing to do, 
If we only knew, 

Is to make the best of it all." 
— Selected. 

25 

"I am so glad that our Father in Heaven 
Shows us His love in the world He has given. 
Springtime and harvest are all of His plan. 
Oh, what a home He has given to man!" 

— Annie Stevens Perkins. 

26 

"Winter skies and frosty air. 
Winds that roughly blow; 
Icy ponds and branches bare, 
^ Many drifts of snow; 

Rosy cheeks and stinging toes, 

Fires bright and clear; 
Every lad and lassie knows 
January is here." 

— Eleanor Cameron. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



75 



27 
Months. ■ 
"January brings the snow, 
Makes our feet and fingers glow. . 

February brings the rain, 
Thaws the frozen lake again. 

March brings breezes sharp and chill, 
Shakes the dancing daffodil. 

April brings the primrose sweet, 
Scatters daisies at our feet. 

May brings flocks of pretty lambs 
Sporting 'round their fleecy dams. 

June brings tulips, lilies, roses, 

Fills the children's hands with posies. 

Hot July brings thunder-showers, 
Apricots and gilly-flowers. 

August brings the sheaves of corn; 
Then the harvest home is borne. 

Warm September brings the fruit, 
Sportsmen then begin to shoot. 

Brown October brings the pheasant; 
Then to gather nuts is pleasant. 

Dull November brings the blast. 
Hark! the leaves are whirling fast. 

Cold December brings the sleet, 
Blazing fires and Christmas treat." 

— Sara Coolidge. 



28 
"Hurrah for baby February! 

He's coming with his teams 
Of little Cupid horses 

O'er a track of golden beams. 
He has letters for each sweetheart 

That ever loved another. 
Whether it's his sister. 

His father or his mother. 
Hurrah for baby Valentine!" 

— Selected 



76 Latta's Sug-gestions for Seat Work 

29 
'Tm merry, breezy little March, 

Dear children gathered here, 
I hope you are all glad to greet 

The third month of the year. 

There's so much work for me to do, 

Old Winter's stayed so long, 
And I must blow him north again, 

With breezes swift and strong. 

Then I must melt the snow and ice, 

And waken little Spring, 
And from, the warm and sunny South, 

Must call the birds to sing." 

— Selected. 

30 
"Sweet April trips adown the hill, 
Leaving the slopes embroidered thick with flowers. 

— Eleanor M. Jollie. 

31 
"May comes now with a sunny smile, 
We've waited for her a long, long while; 
This is the month when for deeds so brave 
We lay sweet flowers on the soldier's grave." 

— Selected. 

32 
"And what is so rare as a day in June? 

Then, if ever, come perfect days. 
Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune 
And o'er it softly her warm ear lays." 

— Lowell. 

"July gives us a glorious holiday. 
With rockets and flags and banners gay." 
— Nellie Cameron. 

34 
In the garden, orchard, field. 
Nature her rich gifts doth yield. 
Our dear Father's loving hand 
Gives these blessings to our land, 
And to Him we give the praise 
For these sweet September days." 
— Emma C. Loehle. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 11 

35 
"Through the soft October air 

Nuts and leaves are falling; 
In the woodland everywhere, 
Boys and girls are calling." 

— Eleanor Cameron. 

^^ 
"August brings us berries ripe and sweet, 

They deck the gardens for our feet." 

— Nellie Cameron. 

yi 

"Welcome to the month November, 

With its skies so gray, 
For it comes to bring the gladness 

Of Thanksgiving Day. 
Let us all be truly grateful 

For the blessings given, 
They are sent as stirring tokens 

Of the love of Heaven." 

— Alice J. Cleator. 

38 
"December, oh December, 

We know your laughing face, 
And who that jolly fellow is 

Who drives as such a pace. 

The prancing deer, the jingling bells. 

The sleigh with toys heaped high. 
Proclaim to every child on earth 

That dear St. Nick is nigh." 

— Lizbeth B. Comins. 

39 
"Thirty days hath September, 
April. June and November: 
February has twenty-eight alone, 
All the rest have thirty-one. 
Excepting Leap Year — that's the time 
When February has twenty-nine." 

— Selected. 

40 
"Sneeze on Monday, sneeze for danger: 
Sneeze on Tuesday, kiss a stranger: 
Sneeze on Wednesday, sneeze for a letter: 
Sneeze on Thursday, something better. 
Sneeze on Friday, sneeze for sorrow: 
Sneeze on Saturday, joy tomorrow." 

— Selected. 



78 Latt a's Suggestions for Seat Work 

"They that wash on Monday, 

Have all the week to dry; 
They that wash on Tuesday 

Are not so much awry; 
They that wash on Wednesday 

Are little more to blame; 
They that wash on Thursday 

Wash for very shame; 
They that wash on Friday 

Must only wash for need; 
They that wash on Saturday 

Are lazy folks indeed." 

— Selected. 

42 

"Solomon Grundy, 
Born on Monday, 
Christened on Tuesday, 
Married on Wednesday, 
Took ill on Thursday, 
Worse on Friday, 
Died on Saturday, 
Buried on Sunday. 
This is the end of Solomon Grundy." 
— Selected. 

43 

"I work and wait the whole week through. 

For Saturday and Sunday; 
Then, while I wonder what to do, 

They're gone, and it is Monday." 

— Christopher Valentine. 

44 

"There's never a rose in all the world, 
- But makes some green spray sweeter: 
There's never a wind in all the sky. 

But makes some bird's wing fleeter: 
There's never a star but brings to Heaven 

Some silver radiance tender; 
And never a rosy cloud but helps 

To crown the sunset splendor; 
No robin but may thrill some heart, 

Its dawnlike gladness voicing, 
God gives us all some glad, sweet way 

To set the world rejoicing." 

— C. S. Mount. 



Latta's Suggestions fo r Seat Work 79 

45 
"For the beautiful flowers of self-less-ness, 

'Tis God alone gives the seed; 
They bloom in the heart that looks to Him 
In every daily need." 

— Selected. 

46 
"We are blessing the earth with our wealth of bloom; 

We are lading the air with our rare perfume; 
All things have their mission and God gives us ours — 
And that is a part of the mission of flowers." 

— Dart Fairthorne. 

47 
"A blaze of yellow glory, 

T'he goldenrod's in bloom; 
Like a knight of olden story 
It flaunts a feathery plume." 

— Fannie Montgomery, 

48 
"If the buttercups could sing, 
What a pretty ting-a-ling 

We could hear in summertime; 
Could the daisies pipe a strain 
It would be like falling rain. 

Just a silvery theme. 

If the violets knew an air 

It w^ould sound- most like a prayer 

On the seashell's theme; ' 
If the wild rose sang a catch 
Never would be heard its match, 

Save in some sweet dream." 

—Eleanor M. Jollie. 

49 
"Shy wild roses, sweet and pink 
I wonder what are the thoughts you think; 
Very sweet thoughts, that I know, 
Because so fragantly you grow." 

—Barbara Reid. 

50 
"Clover, clover, red and white, 
Where the buzzing bees delight. 
Nothing sweeter — the world over 
Than my bed of nodding clover." 

— Barbara Reid. 



80 Latta's Sug;S;estions for Seat Work 

51 
"Just listen, little blossom, 

Until I tell you why 
Such a wee and tiny flower 

Is named the 'Day's-Eye.' 

Because you're always shining bright 

To greet us with a smile, 
And, like the twinkling stars above, 

you're winking all the while." 

— Harriette Wilbur. 

52 
"Little pansy flowers, 

Nodding in the sun, 
How they lift their faces up 
Laughing, every one." 

— Harriette Wilbur. 

53 
When God made all the flowers, 

He gave each one a name 
And when the others all had gone 

A little blue one came. 
And said in trembling whisper: 

'My name I have forgot.' 
Then the good Father called her, 

Forget-me-not." 

— Harriette Wilbur. 

54 
"To be as fresh as a morning glory 

Is as easy as can be; 
For one just drinks the summer dew. 
And becomes like it, you see." 

— Harriette Wilbur. 

55 
"A good laugh is sunshine in the house." 

— Thackeray. 

56 
"God's wavs seem dark, but soon or late. 
They touch the shining hills of day." 

— Whittier 
57 
"His pine trees whisper, 'Trust and wait!' 

His flowers are prophesying 
Tliat all we dread of change or fall 
His love is underlying." 

— Selected. 



i 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 81 

58 
'To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own." 

— Selected. 

59 
"This dear Httle goose of a girlie, 

Who ever had notions like hers? 
'If I lived in an evergreen forest 

I'd never be cold,' she avers. 
And how could that happen, my dearest? 

'Why, 'cause' — her reply is the clearest — 
'I'd go to the fir tree that's nearest 

And buy me a nice set of furs.' " 

— Century. 

60 
"Whole ages have fled and their works decayed. 

And nations have scattered been; 
But the stout old ivy shall never fade 

From its hale and hearty green; 
Creeping on where Time has been 
A rare old plant is the ivy green." 

— Charles Dickens. ^ 

61 
"Look to the lilies, how they grow; 

'Twas thus the Savior said that we 
Even in the simplest flowers that blow 
God's ever watchful care might see." 

— Moore. 

62 
"Of all the bonny buds that blow 

In bright and cloudy weather. 
Of all the flowers that come and go 

The whole twelve moons together, 
The little purple pansy brings 
Thoughts of the saddest, sweetest things." 
— Mary E. Bradley. 

63 
"On waste and woodland, rock and plain, 

My humble buds unheeded rise; 
The rose has been a summer reign. 
The daisy never dies." 

— Montgomery. 

64 
"Each kindness shown to birds and men 
Is sure to flutter back again." 
V — R. Wilbur. 



82 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



65 

"To comfort man, to whisper hope, 
Whenever his faith is dim, 

For who so careth for the flowers 
Will care much more for Him." 

— Mary Howitt. 

66 

"Be kind to every living thing, 

Nor seek to take its life. 
It has its special work to do 

In this great world of strife. 
God gives to each his little day 

Of work or joy or love, 
Each life is wonderful and comes 

From God's own hand above." 

— -Selected. 

67 

"Among the noblest in the land, 

Though he may count himself the least; 
That man I honor and revere 
Who, without favor, without fear, 
In the great city, dares to stand 

The friend of every friendless beast." 
— Longfellow. 

68 

"When a helpless little creature 

Confiding looks to us, 
How can we think of hurting it? 

We hurt its Maker thus." 

— Selected. 

69 

" 'Come,' says the little buzzing bee. 

'Come and be busy today.' 
Dear little children, let us see 

Who'll store the most honey away!" 
— Olive Atherton. 



70 

"The busy bee is small, you see. 

The ant is little, too: 
They teach us all. however small. 

We have some task to do." 

— Selected, 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 



83 



71 
"When you to beasts and birds are kind, 
They'll love you dearly, you will find." 
— Margery Thompson. 

72 
"Do the work that's nearest 

Tho it's dull at whiles, 
Helping when you meet them 
Lame dogs over stiles." 

— Selected. 

7Z 
"Learn well from bird and tree and rill 

The sin of dark resentment, 
And know the greatest gift of God 
Is faith and sweet contentment." 

— Selected. 



74 

"A little brook, full of play. 
Once through the meadow ran away; 
And never came back, as I've heard say, 
Because it found the sea one day." 

— Selected, 

75 

"Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky, 

Hundreds of shells on the shore together, 
Hundreds of birds that go singing by, 

Hundreds of bees in the sunny weather; 
Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn, 

Hundreds of lambs in the purple clover; 
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn. 

But only one Mother the wide world over.' 

— Selected. 

76 

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, 
How I wonder what you are 
Up above the world so high, 
Like a diamond in the sky. 

When the glorious sun is set, 
When the grass with dew is wet, 
Then you show your little light, 
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night." 

— Selected. 



84 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

"Because I feel that in the Heavens above 
The angels, whispering to one another, 

Can find, among their burning terms of love 
None so devotional as that of Mother," 

— Edgar Allen Poe. 

78 
"Hast thou sounded the depths of yonder sea? 
Hast thou counted the lands that under it be? 
Hast thou measured the heights of heaven above? 
Then may'st thou speak of a mother's love." 

— Selected. 

79 
"Oh, shouldst thou travel near or far, 
From pole to pole or star to star, 
On this broad earth, on land or sea, 
A mother's prayer will go with thee." 

— Selected. 

80 
"There are three words that sweetly blend. 

That on the heart are graven, 
A precious, soothing balm they send, 
They're Mother, Home and Heaven." 

— Mary Jane Mackle. 

81 
"Children, obey your parents in all things 
For this is well pleasing unto the Lord." 

—Bible. 

82 
"Honor thy father and thy mother 
That thy days may be long upon the land 
Which the I.ord thy God giveth thee." 

—Bible. 

83 
"All day the Father Sun gives light; 
The Moon, the Mother, shines by night; 
The stars are by the sweet moon led. 
The fierce Sun draws them back to bed." 
— Lilian Shuey. 

84 
"Give fools their gold and knaves their power. 

Let freedom's bubble rise and fall; 
Who sows a field, or trains a flower, , 
Or plants a tree, is more than all." 
; — Whittier. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 85 

85 
"Let us plant a tree by the wayside; 

Plant it with smiles and with tears, 
A shade for some weary traveler, 
A hope for the coming years." 

— L. M. Mooney. 





86 


"Noble dee 


ds are held in honor; 


But the ^ 


wild world sadly needs 


Hearts of patience to unravel 


The worth of common deeds." 




— Normal Instructor. 




87 




Alphabet. 


A 


was an apple pie. 


B 


baked it. 


C 


cut it. 


D 


danced for it. 


E 


ate it. 


F 


fought for it. 


G 


guarded it. 


H 


hid it. 


IJ 


jumped for it. 


K 


kept it. 


L 


longed for it. 


M 


mourned for it. 


N 


needed it. 


O 


offered it. 


P 


peeped for it. 


Q 


quartered it. 


R 


ran for it. 


s 


sang for it. 


T 


tasted it. 


U 


upset it. 


V 


viewed it. 


w 


wished for it. 


X 


expects it. 



YZ yearns for it. 



Alphabet of Gems. 

"All that you do, do with your might, 
Things done but half are never done right. 

Beautiful faces are they that wear 
The light of a pleasant spirit there; 
Beautiful hands are they that do 
Deeds that are noble, good and true. 



86 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

Children, whether great or small, 
Should never, never sulk at all; 
Gloomy be the day or bright, 
Laugh and sing, all will be right. 

Doing to others as I would 

That they should do to me 
Will make me honest, kind and good 

As children ought to be. 

Early to bed, early to rise 

Makes people happy, healthy and wise. 

For every evil under the sun. 
There i§ a remedy or there is none; 
If there be one, try and find it; 
If there be none, never mind it. 

Guard, oh guard thy tongue, 
That it speak no wrong; 
Let no evil word pass o'er it. 
Set the watch of truth before it. 

Hearts, like doors, will ope with ease 
To very, very little keys; 
And don't forget that two are these: 
'I thank you, sir,' and 'If you please.' 

It is a lesson you should heed. 

Try, try again; 
If at first you don't succeed. 

Try, try again. 

Just a tiny sunbeam on a cloudy day 
Makes the whole world brighter, as it sheds its ray; 
We can all be sunbeams, though we be but small — 
Brave and kind and loving, helping one and all. 

Kind hearts are the gardens. 

Kind thoughts are the roots; 
Kind words are the blossoms. 

Kind deeds are the fruits. 

Little deeds of kindness. 

Little words of love, 
Make this earth an Eden 

Like the Heaven above. 

Make this world a brighter place 

Just because you're in it; 
Chase each frown from off your face, 

Keep cheery every minute. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 87 

Not what we give but what we share; 
For the gift without the giver is bare. 

O, the Star rains its fire 

While the Beautiful sing; 
For the manger of Bethlehem 

Cradles a King. 

Politeness is to do and say 

The kindest things in the kindest way. 

Quite your best, your very best, 

Do it every day. 
Little boys and little girls; 

That is the wisest way. 

Remember always we should seek 

Rather to be good, than wise; 
For the thoughts we do not speak 

Shine out in our cheeks and eyes. 

The fisher who draws in his net too soon 

Won't have any ush to sell; 
The boy who shuts up his book too soon 

Won't learn any lessons well. 

Unless our lives are true each day 

It matters not what our lips may say. 

Very good is God to me: 
Look where I may, His gifts I see; 
The food I eat, the clothes I wear, 
Are tokens of my Maker's care. 

Work while you work. 

Play while you play; 
This is the way 

To be happy and gay, 

'Xcept our best each day we try. 
We cannot hope to win by and by. 

You. need two good weapons — 

A heart that is pure, 
A will that is ready 

To do and endure. 

Zealously strive that every day 

May see some task begun; 
Nor be content to rest at eve 

Until that task is done." 

— September '09 Primar}^ Plans. 



88 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

89 
Biblical Alphabet. 

A Angels ascending the shining way, 

Whom Jacob saw as in deep sleep he lay. 
B Bethlehem's Babe in a manger he lay, 

Born to us on this glad Christmas Day. 
C For Christ, so gentle, meek and mild, 

Who dearly loves each little child. 
D For Daniel brave and true, 

Who feared naught that man can do. 
E To Elijah, Israel's prophet good. 

In the famine, by ravens, God sent food. 
F The Fishermen, to whom Christ said, 

"Come, I will make you fishers of men." 
G For Goliath, who now lies prone. 

Slain by David's sling and stone. 
H Hagar and her son in sore distress 

Found water in the wilderness. 
I Isaac — the only son dearly loved 

With Abraham journeys to the mount of God. 
J Joseph, by his brethren in Egypt sold 

For tweny silver pieces, we are told. 
K King Solomon, justly renowned. 

The wisest monarch ever crowned. 
L At the Last Supper, Jesus in sorrow did say, 

"Who is it this night his Lord shall betray?" 
M Tlie infant Moses, to whose aid 

Pharaoh's daughter sent her maid. 
N Nicodemus, who went to Jesus by night. 

For he feared to be seen by the Jews in the light. 
O Oil in their vessels the wise virgins kept; 

Lamps burning brightly, while the foolish slept. 
P Good Physician, Christ, the people did name. 

Who healed the sick, the impotent and lame. 
Q Queen Esther, the King besought. 

At his command her people were freed throughout the land. 
R For Ruth, the Moabite, 

Who favor found in Boaz' sight. 
S For Samuel, who early heard God's voice 

Calling him, and it made his heart rejoice. 
T For Timothy, whose mother besought 

To heed the lessons the Holy Word taught. 
U For Uz, where good Job lived and died 

Whose patience God so sorely tried. 
V The Virgin Mary mild. 

Blessed Mother of the Holy Child. 
W Jesus Wept, when Mary to him said. 

"Your dear friend, Lazarus, is dead." 
X For X-mas day: To where the Babe lay 

'Wise men from afar were led by the star. 



Latta's Su ggestions for Seat Work 89 

Y Youthful maiden, mourned so much, 

Now raised to life by Jesus' touch. 
Z For Zaccheus; 

O may we all 

Obey like him the Saviour's call. 

90 

"Ten little pussy cats went out to dine; 

One choked his little self, then there were nine. 

Nine little pussy cats sat up very late; 

One overslept himself and then there were eight. 

Eight little pussy cats going down to Devon: 

One said she'd stay there, then there were seven. 

Seven little pussy cats chopping up sticks; 

One chopped himself in half, then there were six. 

Six little pussy cats out for a drive; 

One stayed out too late, then there were five. 

Five little pussy cats coming in for law; 

One got in chancery and then there were four. 

Four little pussy cats going out to sea; 

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. 

Three little pussy cats walking in the zoo: 

A big bear hugged one and then there were two. 

Two little pussy cats walking in the sun: 

One got frizzled up and there was but one. 

One little pussy cat living all alone; 

He got married and then there were none. 

— Selected. 

91 

"Little Miss Muffet 
Sat on a tuffet 

Eating of curds and whey; 
There came a big spider 
That sat down beside her 

And frightened Miss Muffet away." 

— Selected. 

92 

"Tom, Tom, the piper's son. 
Stole a pig and away he run! 
The pig was eat and Tom was beat 
And Tom went roarinig down the street." 

— Selected. 

93 

"Many joys may be given to me which cannot be bought 
for gold." — Ruskin. 



90 Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 

94 
"Sing a song of sixpence, 

A pocket full of rye; 
Four and twenty blackbirds 

Baked in a pie. * 

When the pie was opened 

The birds began to sing; 
Was not that a dainty dish 

To set before the King? 
The king was in his counting-house, 

Counting out his money; 
The queen was in the parlor, 

Eating bread and honey; 
The maid was in the garden, 

Hanging out the clothes; 
Down came a blackbird 

And pecked ofif her nose." 

— Selected. 

95 

"If everything were upside down, 
If a new-laid egg boiled cook, 
If mice caught cats. 
And pigs wore hats, 
How strange the world would look." 
—Edith M. Taylor. 

96 
"Heigh ding-a-ding, what shall I sing? 

How many holes in a skimmer? 
Four and twenty, I'm half starving! 
Mother, pray give me some dinner." 

— Selected. 

97 
"Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall, 
Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall; 
All the King's horses and all the King's men 
Cannot put Humpty-Dumpty together again." 

— Selected. 

98 

"Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn; 

The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn! 

Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep? 

He's under a hay-cock fast asleep. 

Will you wake him? No not I. 

For if I do, he'll be sure to cry." 

— Selected. 



Latta's Suggestions for Seat Work 91 

99 

"There was once a tiger, 
Who came from the Niger; 

Of countries and towns he'd seen lots. 
Said he, 'I must wander 
For no tiger is fonder 

Than I am of changing his spots.' " 

— Selected. 

100 

"There was an old pussy who lived in a shoe; 
She'd so many kittens she didn't know what to do; 
Those who were good had new milk and some fish, 
But those who were naughty she gave — swish! swish!" 

— Selected. 

101 
"Love the spot where you are, and the friends God has 
given you, and be sure to expect everything good of them." 
— Albee. 

102 
"A bunch of golden keys is mine 
To make each day with gladness shine. 

'Good Morning,' that's the golden key 
That unlocks every day for me. 

When evening comes, 'Good Night' I say 
And close the door of each glad day. 

When at the table, 'If you please' 
I take from off my bunch of keys. 

When friends give anything to me, 
I use the little 'Thank you' key. 

'Excuse me,' 'Beg your pardon,' too, 
When by mistake some harm I do. 

Or if unkindly harm I've given 
With 'Forgive me' I shall be forgiven. 

On a golden ring these keys I'll bind; 
This is the motto: 'Be ye kind? 



I'll often use each golden key 
And then a child polite I'll be." 



-Selected. 




LATTA'S HELPS wrTEACHERS 



NEW PRIMARY LANGUAGE CARDS. 

Ninety-six drawings with name in print and 
script as shown. Each card 2^x3 inches, 
printed ahke on both sides. About 150 other 
words in print and script, including pronouns, 
verbs, adjectives, conjunctions, etc., making a 
vocabulary to prepare the child for any primer 
or first reader. See them listed in "The Be- 
ginner's Outfit." 
Per set, postpaid 25c 

THE BEGINNER'S OUTFIT 

A splendid collection of devices and supplies to teach young 
children from the first day of school until they are prepared 
to use the primer. Every teacher who has used the Beginner's 
Outfit as listed below has been more than satisfied. 
Order Any of the Following 

Word Chart, showing print and script 20c 

Blackboard Stencils, showing sixteen easy sentences, four 

inches high, to trace 16c 

Easy Words to Color and to build sentences, large print and 
script in outline on white drawing paper, for four pupils 40c 

Primary Language Cards, for four pupils...., 25c 

Word Cards to build sentences, one side print, the other 

script, for four pupils 28c 

3,000 Printed Words to Paste, four pupils 16c 

3,000 Script Words to Paste, four pupils 16c 

544 Easy Sentences printed in script with light red ink, to 

trace, for four pupils 12c 

Alphabets, Figures, etc., on cards, ^-inch high, 1,680 char- 
acters for four pupils 30c 

Alphabets, Figures, etc., to paste, ^-inch high, 2,220 char- 
acters, for four pupils 20c 

Tracing Pad for Beginners, 100 sheets, 5^x8^, each, 15c; 

for four pupils 50c 

New Primary Arithmetic Cards 20c 

Latta's New Phonic Cards 45c 

Be Sure to Read This 
The Beginner's Outfit for four pupils consists of the above 
list which amounts to $3.38, but we will send all postpaid for 

only $3.05 

Note: Add 50c for each additional pupil after the first four. 

Same as above for three pupils $2.80 

Same as above for two pupils 2.05 

Same as above for one pupil 1.65 

Address J. S. LATTA, Inc. 

Cedar Falls, Iowa 



Latta's Helps For Teachers (Continued) 



nuiuRY Reading 
AND Phonics 



PRIMARY READING AND PHONICS. .. .30c 
Lata's New Phonic Cards for any primer or 

method 45c 

Alphabets and Figures to paste, 4 inches high, 

50 assorted, per set 10c 

Latta's 8-inch Clock Dial with metal hands.. 25c 
12 Colored Cards, 4x6 for language or gifts.. 10c 
12 Colored Cards, 5x7, for language or gifts.. 15c 

12 Large Mother Goose Silhouettes 25c 

12 U. S, Pin Flags, paper 10c 

Christmas or Thanksgiving Posters, each... 30c 
Dennison's Crepe Paper, name color, fold.... 18c 

Christmas Candles, 3 doz. 25c; Snow, box 15c 

Christmas Folders, doz 50c and $1 : cards 15c 

Paper Cutting 

42 Paper Cutting Designs, each 5x8 18c 

44 Large Drawings to Color, assorted 30c 

50 Drawings to Color, assorted sizes 20c 

12 Different Calendars to Color, 6x9 10c 

16 Landscape Drawings to Color, 6x9 I5c 

16 Birds in Colors, with description, with 16 Birds to Color, 

same as above, 6x9 25c 

1,000 Colored Circles to Paste, 1-inch, assorted 20c 

1,000 Colored Circles like above, gummed 35c 

3.000 Assorted Colored Shoe Pegs 33c 

1,000 Assorted Colored Sticks, 1 to 5 inches 48c 

Primary and Intermediate Language Cards 25c 

30 Sewing Card Patterns on Cardboard 20c 

25 Public School Report Cards 15c 

21 New Silhouette Posters, 10 inches high 2Sc 

Tickets, Good. Perfect, or On Time, 100 10c 

Toy Money, Coins and Bills, $548.96. set 25c 

Latta's Business Exercise to play store 40c 

6 Large Mottoes and Pledges for Schools 15c 

16 Penmanship Copies, over 700 words 20c 

16 Three Bears Drawings to Color, 6x9 inches 15c 

16 Gingerbread Boy Drawings to Color, 6x9 inch 15c 

16 Cock Robin Drawings to Color, 6x9 15c 

16 Hiawatha Drawings to Color, 6x9 inches 15c 

16 Eskimo Drawings to Color, 6x9 inches 15c 

16 Circus Drawings to Color, 6x9 inches 15c 

16 Farm Story Drawings to Color, 6x9 inches 15c 

16 Pioneer Story Drawings to Color, 6x9 inches 15c 

12 Conventional Borders, 5 in. high, to trace and to color 10c 

Carbon Paper, 20x30, 1 sheet. 12c: 3 for 30c 

12 Sheets Transparent Tracing Paper. 17x22 20c 




Latta's Helps For Teachers (Continued) 

Latta's Construction 
Patterns. 

Thirty-three different 
patterns, printed full 
size on heavy card- 
board and paper in dif- 
ferent colors, ready to 
make up: Windmill; 
Automobile; Christmas 
Box; Church; Cup- 
board; Table; Chair; Bed; Rocker; Screen; Easel; Wheelbarrow; 
Red Bird; Blue Bird; Yellow Bird; Butterfly; Horse; Bear; 
Elephant; Dog; Cow; Seal; Pig; Running Bunny; Hobbyhorse; 
Pecking Hen; Indian; Negro; Brownie; Overall Boy; Sunbonnet 
Baby; Santa With Pack; Weaving Mat. This set represents 
four different kinds of construction and the material used is 
strong and attractive. Most of these patterns cannot be found 
in any book; and if they were printed in a book it would be 

necessary to enlarge them. Set with 100 fasteners 85c 

NOTE — You may have the one set of Doll Furniture on 
heavy cardboard with above patterns for 25c additional. 

Fancy Colored Chalk, Box M, dozen assorted... 30c 

Blackboard Stencils 
Five Soldier Boys, like 
these, 15 in. high... 10c 
Other borders, each 6c. 
Sunbonnet Babies; Ov- 
erall Boys; Brownies; 
Soldiers; Flags; Santri: 
Goldenrod; Ivy: Squir- 
rels; Grapes; Turkey; 
Birds; Pumpkins; Holly; Bells; Reindeer. 
New Child Life Calendar Stencils, 22x34. Set nine school 

months 75c; each 12c; 3 for 30c. 
Other Stencils, 22x34, each 12c. Typical Pilgrims; Mayflower: 
Log Cabin; Turkey Calendar; Fireplace Calendar: Santa 
Driving Eight Reindeer; Santa Going Down Chimney: 
Santa Filling Stockings: Christ Child: Washington on 
Horse; Flag: Program: Roll of Honor: Welcome: Flags of 
Allies; Aeroplane: Uncle Sam: Gen. Pershing on Horse; 
Name any Calendar, Map or Physiology. 
Men, Animals, etc, size 17x22 inches, each 6c. Washington: 
Lincoln: Wilson; Longfellow; Horse; Cow: Dog: Fox; 
Bear; Elephant. 
Map Stencils, 34x44 inches, each 20c. United States: Any Con- 
tinent; Any State; Any Group of States, or name any of 
above maps, about 9x12, at 3c each, for seatwork. 

Small Stencils, set of 50 for seatwork 25c 

Medium Stencils, set of 50 for seatwork 35c 

Blue Stamping Powder, >4-pound bag 15c 




Latta's Helps For Teachers (Continued) 



i 





k 



Words like above to color, enough to make many s«ntances. 
printed on both sides of thick drawing paper, the set postpaid 
for 10c. See them listed in Latta's Beginner's Outfit. 



Latta's Helps For Teachers (Continued) 



Alphabets and Figures 4 inches high like above, printed on 
tough paper for children to trace, cut, sew. color, and to form 
words. One set postpaid for 10c. 

PRINTED OUTLINE MAPS 

United States; Any Continent; Any State; Any Group of 
States; Any Map for History or Geography. Order them as- 
sorted 'or otherwise, 8^x11 inches, 50 for 35c; 100 for 60c. 

World or United States. 11x17, 20 for 25c. United States 
on chart paper, 24x36. 3 for 20c. 8 large Physiology Drav/ings 
in Outline. 10c. 



W^^f 



Lattas Helps4eachers 



The four sets of Arithmetic cards listed below are at- 
ranged according to grade. The first two sets are for the 
teacher to use as flash cards; the illustrated cards giving addi- 
tion combinations only while the combinations on the number 
cards are arranged for either addition, subtraction or multipli- 
cation. The last two sets are for seat work. 




+ 




Illustrated Primary Arithmetic Cards, 41 combinations, per 
set 20c. 

Primary Number Cards, 77 combinations, per set 25c. 

New Primary Arithmetic Cards for seat work and standard 
tests of efficiency, per set 22c. 

Intermediate Arithmetic Cards for seat work with 146 test 
problems, per set 18c. 

LATTA'S PRINTED WEAVING MATS 

Very pretty when harmonizing colors are used. Sire 
6j4x6f4 inches, printed for half-inch slits and fringes printed to 
match. Instructions with each order. A weaving needle is not 
necessary, because the material is good, stiff paper in many 
tints and shades. Remember that these mats have bases printetl 
but they are not cut, and they have fringes printed but not cut. 

Price, postpaid, 15 mats for 15c; 50 for 40c; 100 for 70c 

LATTA'S NEW CUT-OUT MATS 

Size 8x8 inches, half-inch slits cut with fringes cut to 
match. (Material is tough construction paper in assorted colors, 
including black and white. The paper is so strong and durable 
that a weaving needle is not necessary. Remember that these 
mats and fringes are both cut out and ready to use. Price, post- 
paid, 20 mats for 30c 

New Sewing Cards 

This is an entirely new set of sewing cards. 30 patterns 
all different: Windmill; Bird House; Wooden Shoe; Bear; Three 
Bowls of Soup; Shield- Sled; Goose; Dutch Mill Tower; Ball; 
Cap; Dog; Pappoose; elephant; Parrot; Indian Chief; Turkey; 
Hoe; Pig; Automobile; Rooster; Fox; Butterfly; Cat; Clock; 
Spade; Camel; Eagle; Owl; Kite. Printed on strong manila 
cardboard 6x9 inches. Per set, postpaid 22c 

Addrets J. S. LATTA, Inc. Cedar Fallt, Iowa 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 




019 821 776 1 i 



